While most of the professional riders are carefully planning their race programmes in order to fine-tune their disposition for the targeted, initially chosen grand tour race, Adam Hansen is an entirely different story. The 32-year old Lotto Belisol rider simply aims to finish them. Each. Every year.

Lining up at the start of this year’s Giro d’Italia in Belfast, Hansen will try to finish his eight consecutive grand tour race with an additional ambition to win a stage, exactly like he did last season.

The 32-year old Australian inaugurated his exceptional challenge at the 2011 edition of the Vuelta a Espana and continued throughout last two years, completing so far the double triple of the Giro-Tour-Vuelta appearances. However, it is not enough for the Lotto Belisol rider, as he has not only the following three grand tours on his sight, but aims to continue for several next seasons.

"I just love it," Hansen told Cyclingnews on why he continues his current Grand Tour streak. "I think the first year [my teammates] thought I was crazy. [The] second year they just thought I'm trying to do it again and this year they are just accepting it's normal for me now."

"I would like to do it as long as I can," said Hansen, who won the 177-kilometre mountainous stage seven from San Salvo to Pescara at last year's Giro. "As long as I don't crash out or get sick – at least five more years."

Saying this, Hansen explained that finishing all grand tour races in one season is for him rather a matter of avoiding crashes, injuries or another health issues than pure endurance and exceptional condition.

"I don't think it is as much completing each Grand Tour as it is staying healthy and remaining unscathed," he said.

After completing every grand tour race in last two seasons, the 32-year old Australian collected plenty of unique experiences and explained that biggest events of the cycling calendar have their own specificity.

"Giro has very long climbs with very long stages and is very tiring, I have a free card and going for a stage," he said.

"The Tour is business, it is the fastest with everyone on form, for me it's all about working for André and Jurgen Van den Broeck. The Vuelta has some very steep climbs with a broad range of riders' form and can also be tricky.

"The Giro is great because it is just so passionate because it is about fans that are really into cycling rather than just being at a race."

Hansen rode the Tour of Turkey as his final Giro build-up last week, and after finishing within top ten in the general classification admitted that he is pleased with his condition ahead of the Italian grand tour.

"I am very happy with my overall standings in Turkey," Hansen said. "A top 10 finish was the goal. I could have perhaps done better, but the attacks on stage six [into Selcuk] took a lot out of me."