Rider profile: Lasse Norman Hansen
Lasse Norman Hansen is a new signing for Team Garmin-Sharp in 2014. He comes from a very promising under-23 career which also included a gold medal at the London Olympics in track omnium. We are really excited to see what Lasse can do in 2014, he’s off to a great start finishing 3rd overall at Dubai Tour!
What is your first memory involving a bicycle?
That would be riding a way-too-small bicycle around in the back yard. It was the bike that I got too big for, that’s the first bike I remember having fun on.
What got you started into racing?
I started riding my school bike on longer rides. My uncle was a director of a firm that makes bicycles. He gave me one and told me to start riding it seriously. He said for fun but then I got into it and it went from there.
What is your favorite type of race?
I really don’t know — I have a few favorites. Of course I like racing on the track. The shorter track races that are really intense. And on the road I like the really tough races with short, steep climbs and cobblestones.
Lasse riding to 3rd in Dubai Tour’s first stage.
Do you have a favorite six-day race?
I really like the Gent Six Day and all the events there because it’s a shorter track. 166 meters so it feels like you are racing in a pot!
What do you like to do to get away from the bike?
I really like going fishing, I do that a lot. Both rivers, lakes and on the sea. Sometimes it’s easier to just go to a lake but when I go with my father we like to go to the sea. For a river I have to go out of Denmark to Norway.
What will you miss most living away from Denmark?
I’ll be living in Girona for the first time. I’ll go see my grandparents — I’ll miss them a lot.
What about Danish food?
Yes, of course, but it’s mostly cakes and I cannot eat that during the season! In the off season I like to eat cakes, especially this one kind that is a spongy bread with brown sugar and syrup on top. It comes from the middle of Denmark and it’s mostly made there.
How do you take your coffee?
Cappuccino.
Do you do any cross training?
I go to the gym a lot and do core stability workouts.
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you on a bike?
I’ve seen a lot so picking out the most funny is difficult. You see lots of stupid stuff involving animals. I’ve ridden into horses. Almost rode into a cow once and a sheep. It’s not funny riding into a horse, but it’s a funny story afterwards. Especially because it was in a town called Horsens!
If you were not a pro bike racer what career do you think you would have pursued?
I don’t know — no clue at all. I’ve always been into bike racing — I’ve always watched it on television and thought that is what I want to do. I skipped school to get to bike riding.
How did you parents feel about skipping school?
In the beginning they didn’t like it but over time they have. Racing went good from the start so now they like it a lot.
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