Italian Ivan Basso races again today at the GP Carnago following a disappointing Tour de France. It is not the GP Carnago that he is thinking about, but to return next year and win both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.
"I will return to the Tour and try to win it. This is certain," Basso told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "The true Ivan Basso is the rider you saw at the Giro d'Italia, who can fight for the podium. In fact, I would say even more. I am convinced that that Basso could have also battled [Alberto] Contador and [Andy] Schleck."
Basso won the Giro d'Italia this year for the second time since 2006. He confirmed he still had the ability to win despite sitting out for two years due to his ties in the Operación Puerto doping investigation.
This year, five years after placing second in 2005, he tried to confirm his abilities at the Tour de France. However, bronchitis ruled him out of the fight and he finished in 32nd, one hour back from winner Contador.
"It was an honour to finish the Tour de France. There were days when I suffered like a dog, but the course deserves this," he continued.
"I can't be satisfied when I have already twice finished on the podium. The only thing better is the win. But, you have to say that I was one of the few who raced both the Giro and Tour."
Along with Basso, favourites Carlos Sastre and Cadel Evans also raced in both Italy and France. Evans held the leader's jersey in both races, but bad luck ruined his chances to win (at the Tour he crashed and fractured his elbow).
Is aiming for a win in both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France feasible for Basso?
"I remained convinced, yes. The double appointment is my cup of tea, I will also take it on in the future. That was not the reason for failure at the Tour, there were other factors. Up until the stage to Morzine, I had good feelings. I am convinced that my condition would have risen, but from there on, I did not understand anything.
"The first ten on the stage to Morzine also fought for the Tour de France, but I was not there. It's not possible that I am dropped when the fourth from last of Schleck's helpers are pulling. Maybe at that point, I had already had the flu or I paid from the Giro's stress. I don't know."
Basso is currently racing the GP Carnago after several post-Tour criteriums, but this fall he will examine in detail his training and racing leading up to and during the two Grand Tours.
"I will continue down the same road. With the same attention to details that brought me the Giro [win], keeping track of the errors.
"I'll accept the criticism. I am very severe on myself anyway. But, if I listen to the others, I should have become a super domestique after last year. Instead, I showed the opposite. So next year I will dedicate even more attention to the Tour."
Basso has two more years to do so, he renewed in May with team Liquigas for two years. He will represent the Italian team in the GP Camaiore, Tre Valli Varesine, Agostoni, Melinda and the two Canadian races in September. He will skip the Worlds and focus on the Giro di Lombardia, run on roads near his home in Varese.