Australian rider Adam Hansen finished the Giro d’Italia in Milan on Sunday, in 77th place, and in doing so has achieved an incredible record. It means that he has become the first rider to start and finish eleven consecutive three-week Grand Tours.
The Lotto-Soudal rider’s run stretches back to the 2011 Vuelta a Espana which he finished in 129th place. He has also taken two stage wins in the process, Stage 7 of the 2013 Giro d’Italia and Stage 19 of the Vuelta a Espana.
Spaniard Marino Lejarreta had previously held the record of 10 straight Grand Tours in the 1990s. However, another Spanish rider Bernardo Ruiz rode 12 in a row back in the 1950s, but back then, the Vuelta was only two weeks long.
Hansen has had to overcome some big difficulties along the way, including breaking his sternum in the 2013 Giro. He has said that he has come close to abandoning on a couple of other occasions also. The rider from Queensland can be expected to be selected for the forthcoming Tour de France to try and keep his run going.
You just gotta love Adam Hansen