Adam Hansen is set to break a record for most consecutive Grand Tours ridden at 13 if he finishes the Vuelta next month. But he almost lost his chance to make history after a bad crash in the Tour de France.

“Of all of my grand tours, this has been the hardest,” Hansen told VeloNews. “The crash made it very difficult.”

“My body’s all twisted,” he said. “With the shoulder injury, I am using different muscles. The injury and bad luck has made this the hardest grand tour for me.”

Hansen was speaking a few days before the Tour ended. All the same he made it through the race and his dream was still alive.

Should the 34-year-old Aussie on the Lotto-Soudal team complete the Spanish race and break the record, he aims to keep his streak going further to see how far he can get.

“I hope to keep the streak going,” Hansen said. “I just like the rhythm of racing for three weeks. I’d rather do that than travel to two or three separate races.”