Ivan Basso’s likely goal of winning the 2011 Tour de France will see him have a different racing programme next year, with the Italian rider deciding to get his season underway earlier than usual to ensure that he gradually reaches a good level of form.
The 33 year old had to make changes to his planned programme this year in order to reach his Giro-winning condition, and doesn’t want to take chances again.
“I’m going to start the 2011 early. I took a big risk this year,” he told La Gazzetta Dello Sport. “I was not in shape, so I had to add Romandie [the Tour de Romandie] to speed up. I will start next season in the Tour de San Luis in Argentina (January 17 – 23) and my first race in Italy will probably be the Giro di Sardegna (February 22 – 26).”
This season, Basso began racing in the GP dell’Insubria in Switzerland on February 27th. His build-up to the Giro then comprised the GP di Lugano, the Giro del Friuli, the Volta a Catalunay, the Giro del Trentino and the Tour de Romandie. He won the Giro, but was only 32nd in the Tour.
Many of those who rode well in the Giro struggled to reach the same form in the later race. He has said that he might aim primarily for the Tour de France in 2011, handing Giro leadership to his Liquigas team-mate Vincenzo Nibali.
Basso is back at work and said that while his condition is not great, he didn’t expect anything different. “I don’t feel particularly good, but that is normal,” he explained. “This is the start of a fundamental eight-week block of training. It is important to build a solid foundation to cope with the intensive work that awaits later. At my age I need some time to get in shape, so I have started a little earlier than before.”
It is likely that he will decide at a later point if he will even ride the Giro. Whether or not he does the Italian Tour, his thinking is that getting into good shape earlier will allow him to be more relaxed about his condition prior to building to a peak.
It’s often said in cycling that building form gradually allows top fitness to stay longer: he’ll hope that this is the case, and that 2011 is the year where he can finally take the yellow jersey.