By Susan Westemeyer Adam Hansen of Team Columbia is happy with his 2008 season and already making...
Adam Hansen will target the Australian championships next year (Image credit: Shane Goss)
By Susan Westemeyer
Adam Hansen of Team Columbia is happy with his 2008 season and already making plans to improve in 2009. He hopes to start out by repeating his win in the Australian national championships in January. winning the Australian
The 27-year-old was not totally satisfied with his performance in the World Championshps, but, "I think I have come a long way, and for sure, two years ago I wouldn't have thought I'd be where I am now."
Hansen added he had made progress in some of the races he participated in. "I did races I wouldn't even dream about and I can't be anything but happy with my season." Two of those races included the Giro d'Italia, which he finished for the first time, after having to abandon last year due to an injury after a crash. The second race was the Tour de France, which he rode for the first time.
Instead of singling out single races, though, Hansen put the emphasis on his consistency. "Starting so early and racing all the way till the Worlds at a good level" was another highlight for him.
Hansen is currently on vacation in Japan. " Now it's been a while since I touched my bike, not since the Worlds, and I will start my base training again a few days after my holiday. That will be the earliest I have ever started, but I have bigger hopes and goals for next season and I'm very eager to start again."
But there is one more stop, and more racing, for him before training starts. First he will head to the Nürburgring [Formula One race track] in Germany, with Thomas Lövkvist, a Columbia teammate and others. "We won't be there to race our bikes like they did in 1927, when the first world cycling championships were held there, but driving around in cars. I've been told it's a pretty wild drive!"
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After that, things will get serious for the Australian. He will start training at his European home in the Czech Republic. "I won't head towards Australia until four weeks before the national championships, which will be one of my main goals for next season.
"Four weeks will be heaps of time for getting used to the heat and switching from my cross training to bike training. I'm also planning to spend a bit more time there in Australia, maybe a month after the Tour Down Under, but that will depend on my race program. We will see."
