Adam Hansen not giving up on Grand Tour record despite shoulder dislocation

The Australian will continue to chase a 12th consecutive Grand Tour after dislocating his shoulder in a crash on stage two of the Tour de France

Adam Hansen at the 2015 Tour Down Under

(Image credit: Watson)

Adam Hansen (Lotto-Soudal) will continue to chase a 12th consecutive Grand Tour finish in spite of a shoulder dislocation on stage two of the 2015 Tour de France.

The flat stage into Zeeland on the North Sea coast of Holland was blighted by crosswinds and bad weather for the latter part of the course, which saw a number of riders crash, including the Australian.

Hansen said the bunch moved quickly from one side of the road to other in the powerful crosswinds along the route, and he had nowhere to go but into the grass on the side of the road, along with an Ag2r-La Mondiale rider. Hansen fell on the same shoulder he'd injured at the Ster ZLM Tour in June, which he subsequently abandoned.

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The 34-year-old has finished every Grand Tour on the calendar since the 2011 Vuelta a España and would not easily give up on riding a record 12th Grand Tour in a row. Hansen got back on his bike, albeit visibly in pain and clutching his right shoulder. He rolled in 11-06 down on teammate André Greipel, who won the stage ahead of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo).

Hansen was taken to hospital in nearby Antwerp for x-rays, which later confirmed that he had suffered a dislocation to the AC joint.

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Lotto-Soudal confirmed late on Sunday night that Hansen would continue at the Tour, along with Thomas de Gendt, who injured his knee in a crash.

Tour de France 2015 stage two highlights

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Richard Windsor

Follow on Twitter: @richwindy


Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.


An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).