Confident Basso keeps his eye on the prize

DINAN, France, July 7 (Reuters) - Ivan Basso is not one of the favourites for the Tour de France this year but after a season marred by poor form and
 crashes the Italian believes he is still among the contenders.
“I won the Giro title twice (in 2006 and 2010) and I was on the Tour podium twice. I cannot have low-key objectives,” Basso told Reuters in an interview referring to his third-place finish in the 2004 Tour and runner-up spot to Lance Armstrong in 2005.
“I have to keep the highest ambitions and only time will tell if I should lower them,” he said, laughing at being written off by most of the media.
The 33-year-old Liquigas team leader, who is 1:03 off the pace and lies 20th overall, was tipped as the next big thing in cycling by Armstrong in 2005.
The Italian appeared to be on course to fulfil that prediction when he won the Giro the following year.
But in April 2007, he was implicated in the Puerto doping scandal and was suspended for two years.
His victory in last year’s Giro showed the gifted climber had lost none of his flair.
This year, after a good showing in the Tirreno-Adriatico in March, he suddenly lost form and gave up on the Giro to prepare for the Tour.
TRAINING CRASH
However, a crash in training further hampered his preparation.
“That’s the point. I took a break and just after it I crashed. It ended up being a really long break,” he said.
“I was forced to stop for 12 days in May and it’s not the best preparation for the Tour. But I’m confident because I’ll be fresh in the next weeks,” said Basso, who tends to improve as the race progresses on unlike most of his rivals.
“I can’t say at what place but I’m confident I’m going to do a very good Tour de France.”
To make it on the podium for the third time, Basso is aware that it will take more than just following his rivals in the mountain stages.
“My plan is to be as consistent as possible but to go into the top three, you don’t need only one super day but four. You need to be at your best for all the mountain finishes,” he said.
From his outsider’s position, Basso is ideally placed to watch his rivals and make forecasts.
“(Australia’s Cadel) Evans is the strongest overall rider at the moment but I think (Alberto) Contador, the Schlecks, (Dutchman Robert) Gesink have their chances. One minute (gap) is nothing with all the climbs we still have to do,” he said.
Asked whether three-times champion Contador would not be too tired after winning the Giro on May 29, Basso, who rode both races in 2005 in 2010, replied: “It’s a lot of effort but Contador is the big champion.
“He’s one of very few riders to be able to win both the same year.”