Veteran Italian cyclist Ivan Basso
on Monday announced he was quitting the Tour de France after
discovering he has testicular cancer.
A tearful Basso announced his decision at a press
conference with Saxo-Tinkoff team captain Alberto Contador.
Two-time Giro d'Italia champion Basso, 37, who is riding
his last Tour, was suspended for two years for doping between
his Giro wins in 2006 and 2010.
Nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, he is still among cycling's
strongest climbers.
Basso said CAT scans after feeling pain due to a
fifth-stage Tour fall had revealed the presence of a tumour.
The team's doctor said he had a "98-99%" chance of making
a full recovery.
At Tinkoff-Saxo's press conference in the southern French
city of Pau during Monday's rest day Basso said that scans
showed the presence of tumour cells in his left testicle.
"We realised after my fall on the fifth stage," he said.
"That day I fell and I hit my testicle on the saddle, like so
many times before.
"But it started to bother me, and then this morning we
went for a visit to a famous urologist here in Pau.
"The scan showed the presence of tumour cells in the left
testicle. Now I have to go straight home to have surgery"
Basso joined Tinkoff-Saxo at the start of the 2015 season
and helped Contador to Giro victory in May.
The Spaniard, who is sharing a room with the Italian at
the Tour, said "It's a very tough blow to the whole team, we
never imagined a day like this.
"Ivan and I have spent 120 of the past 180 days together.
I'm sure we'll be together to celebrate in Paris."
Tinkoff-Saxo management also said they expected to be with
Basso celebrating final victory.
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