Third overall victory in race likely goal for Italian climber
He won the Giro d’Italia in 2010, then struggled in the Tour, but Ivan Basso has said that he plans to once again ride the two events next year. The Italian race features a new, more balanced route and the promise of shorter transfers after stages, and this is likely to be a deciding factor.
“I believe at my age the Giro and Tour can be raced in the same year and you can be strong in both, but I don’t think you can win both,” the 34 year old rider told Italian radio yesterday. “I’ve never won the Tour but a third win in the Giro is also an important aim.”
Basso triumphed in the Giro in 2006 and 2010, then missed the race last year in order to focus completely on the Tour. That didn’t work out as well as he hoped, with his final placing being eighth in Paris. His best finish in the race was second overall in 2005, one place better than he achieved in 2004.
Basso still hopes to shine in the Tour before the end of his career, but the route of next year’s Grand Tours show that the Giro suits him much better. It’s got a good mix of stages with some impressive climbs, while the Tour features almost 100 kilometres of time trials, an area where he tends to lose time.
It also has just three summit finishes, making it difficult for him to open up a sufficient gap over the faster TT riders.
If Basso focuses completely on trying to win the Giro, Vincenzo Nibali will be the likely team leader for the Tour de France. Apart from being a good climber, his descending ability could help him steal extra time on the mountainous stages which drop down to the finish line.