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Ivan Basso

Date of Birth: November 26th, 1977
Place of Birth: Gallarate, Varese
Nationality : Italian

Ivan Basso is a professional Italian road bicycle racer currently riding for Team CSC. Ivan Basso is among the best mountain riders in the professional field of the 2000s, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders.

As an amateur, he finished second in the 1995 junior World Championships and his first big result was winning the U-23 World Championships in 1998, before he turned professional with Risso-Scotti Vinavil in 1999. Here he won his first professional victories in the 2000 Regio Tour and in 2001 he moved to Fassa Bortolo under the guidance of sporting director Giancarlo Ferretti. He scored several notable victories in 2001, but the next two years were devoid of significant wins even though he had promising rides in the Tour de France.

In the 2002 edition of the Tour de France, Basso finished 11th overall and won the white jersey, the award presented to the rider best-placed in the general classification under 25 years old. He impressed again in the 2003 Tour, finishing seventh overall in spite of receiving little help from his Fassa Bortolo team-mates, who dedicated their efforts in the first part of the race to help Alessandro Petacchi win four stages in the Tour. After Basso's promising start to his Fassa Bortolo career his relationship with Giancarlo Ferretti turned sour when Ivan Basso failed to respond well to the management methods of the iron sergeant.

Basso looked impressive in the 2004 Tour de France, winning stage 12 ahead of eventual winner Lance Armstrong, but due to his relatively poor time trial results, he only finished 8th on the stage 16 time trial up the mountain Alpe d'Huez and 6th in the stage 19 time trial, for a combined loss of 5 minutes and 13 seconds. His time loss on the last time trial effectively sent Basso down to third place, behind Andreas Kl�den, and Basso finished 6:40 behind winner Lance Armstrong.

Ivan Basso focused on the 2005 Giro d'Italia. Basso conquered the leader's jersey, the maglia rosa, early in the Giro until stomach problems caused him to lose 40 minutes during the 14th stage (a mountain stage which included the Stelvio mountain pass), ending his bid for the overall victory. No longer dangerous to the other main riders, he did manage to win the 17th stage, a mountain stage, and Basso also won the 18th stage, a time trial, ahead of team mate David Zabriskie, after he recovered.

During the 2005 Tour de France, Basso signed a new 3-year contract with CSC running up to 2008, ending speculation that he might defect to Discovery Channel to take over after the retiring Lance Armstrong.

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