HANSEN ON…

…HIS FAVOURITE GRAND TOUR

‘I really do like them all. The Giro is the most passionate. Italy is lovely, with a really mixed type of racing, unexpected weather and passionate fans. The Tour fans are more like tourists, not cyclists, and it can be stressful with the media attention and pressure, but it’s the biggest race in the world. Because the Vuelta is at the end of the season, it’s more relaxed. Sometimes the stage starts at 1pm and your wake-up time might be 10am.’

…INTIMIDATION IN THE PELOTON

‘Because I wasn’t a cycling fan and I didn’t have the knowledge of other riders I wasn’t intimidated by them. When I turned professional in 2007 Mario Cipollini was exiting the sport, but he had control of the peloton so you would never do something against him. I only raced against Lance when he came back but he had a similar dominance. But if you’re naive and don’t know a top rider’s palmarès, you feel free to race.’

…RACING TACTICS

‘The organisation of tactics in the races has definitely changed. This has made it much harder for sprinters and lead out trains because all the teams are far more organised and specific in their plans. And riders are more loyal today than in the past, so the racing is more professional than before. It has changed a lot in my career.’

…HIS HARDEST STAGE

‘Some of the hardest days I have had in a Grand Tour are those snowy days at the Giro. I remember one stage on the Stelvio and it was no longer a bike race, it was just about getting to the finish. There was nobody near you. You couldn’t see more than three metres ahead. We were all in pieces.’