T-Mobile, Slipstream and HTC stalwart Adam Hansen, a key cog in the 'Cavendish sprint machine,' surprised many when he decided to leave the US team and follow HTC's 'other sprinter,' Andre Greipel to Omega-Pharma Lotto. There’s a big rivalry between the two sprinters, and Hansen will find himself working for Greipel and against his former HTC team-mates in 2011.
As he entered the final phase of his preparation for the Australian National championships - he's been on the road race podium and the top step for the time trial in the past - VeloNation caught up with the ex-mountain biker, self confessed 'computer nut' and fan of HTC mobile telephones.
VeloNation: You are leaving the team after several years there…will you still be using an HTC device, Adam?
Adam Hansen: For sure. I always had HTC's ever since their first model. Always loved the HTC's phones, always a step ahead. Changing phones would be like changing houses. I'm very comfortable where I am.
VN: What has to be returned at the end of a contract, bikes, clothing . . .?
AH: Bikes, HTC honour badge and I gave some tears away but they didn't accept them… Where's the love?
VN: Why leave HTC?
AH: I asked my manager that if HTC continue as a sponsor for 2011, that I get a lifetime free phones in my next contract.
Bob just said plan simple 'no,' I found out later they could only get a certain number of them and after Bob took his life time share of them, there just was not enough to fulfil my contract. I thought he was bluffing; I called it and lost…! [tongue in cheek]
VN: Cav [Mark Cavendish] speaks very highly of you in his book - will you miss him?
AH: When we are not racing against him I will miss him. I enjoyed the times I did work for Cav. It just came to a point that the team wanted me to work for Andre over Cav, so that's what I did and how I got to be working with Andre so much. It was always nice to do the odd race with Cav.
VN: Have you got your new Lotto toys yet?
AH: They arrived yesterday at 2:00pm from Brussels.. I fly out to the Nationals the day after 5:30am. That's cutting it a little close, no? It was like Christmas again, only with more useful presents.
VN: You're back at the Oz Champs - what's the priority, road race or time trial?
AH: To take a gold medal…
VN: André [Greipel] and Philippe [Gilbert] are the two big names on the team, and will be aiming for a lot of wins between them. Will there be many races 'for Adam’?
AH: That nice Lotto team has already lined up some races for me claiming I would be team leader with the team supporting me. How nice is that!? I'm a little shocked and all but I'm taking that chance.
VN: You had a big crash in the Tour, hitting a dog that ran into the bunch - do you remember much about it?
AH: Three broken bones, a lot of pain with riding the remaining 165kms in that bad state. . . . . No, I don't remember it at all…!
VN: How long did it take to recover from that misadventure?
AH: It was a nice 6 weeks on the couch…
VN: What fate would you like see befall the dog that caused the crash?
AH: Try do the same thing to a pack of cars….
VN: What was your last race for HTC, and how many race days did you do in 2010?
AH: It was Lombardy. As regards race days, not so many… Far below my average.
VN: How much of a winter break did you have?
AH: Far above my average…!
VN: What luxuries do you allow yourself over the winter?
AH: Luxuries? I do not understand this term. . . .
VN: Do you 'cross' train?
AH: You should ask do I ride a bike during the winter? Last season's winter, not including the teams training camps, I did not touch my bike from October to February. That was a whole bunch of cross training. I love doing the whole snow winter thing, skiing, cross country skiing, hiking in the mountains, bit of snow boarding.
Love the power stuff.
VN: What's the programme for 2011?
AH: Racing for Andre. Getting him on the podium, winning races.
VN: For yourself, what are your goals for 2011?
AH: Kill a dog a day!
VN: One of the palmares websites says you are a 'super domestique’ - is that fair?
AH: Only a leader can say that to a domestique. I can't judge on myself, but only hope I am one and aim for that.