Ivan Basso will return from his two year suspension for "attempted" blood doping next weekend at the Japan Cup. He'll do so in the acid green and blue kit of Liquigas. Basso will be looking to gain valuable racing kilometers as soon as possible, as he plans on targeting next year's Giro d'Italia overall classification.
Rumors out of Italy say that the Italian has ridden thousands of kilometers even during his suspension, and has gone as far as to try to simulate stage races by riding similar routes to those used in the Giro. He has even added time trials into his simulated grand tour regimen. At 30 years old (he'll be 31 in November), Basso seems ready to enter the prime of his career with a good chance to pick up where he left off before his suspension, as that of one of the world's most dominant stage racers.
The Liquigas team is a strong one, more than able to support a grand tour contender, and Basso will count on staunch support from Franco Pelizotti, as well as youngsters Roman Kreuzinger and Vincenzo Nibali in the 2009 Giro. But before he can be considered a contender for 2009's first grand tour, Basso will have to prove himself worthy at early season stage races like the Tour of California, Tirreno-Adriatico, and in the hilly Wallonian classics: the Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege races.
When Basso takes to the start line on the 26th, he'll be looking to join an elite list of riders who have won the japan Cup. Some recent winners include Damiano Cunego, Riccardo Ricco, and Gilberto Simoni. Good climbers are able to take the win at the Japan Cup, and if on form, Basso will be in with a chance for victory in his first race back. Not likely of course, but still possible for the man once known as "il terrible."
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1 comments:
I like Liquigas and Basso, but a strong team like that with a rider who's seeking redemption needs an internal doping program like the other major teams. And they don't have one, do they?
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