Ivan Basso to ride the Tour of Britain this September

Organisers of the Tour of Britain have confirmed that two-time Giro d’Italia champion Ivan Basso will lead Liquigas-Cannondale when it takes part in the race for the first time this September, with this year’s edition billed as the “hardest yet.”

Basso, aged 34, won the Giro in 2006 when he was riding with Team CSC and in 2010 with Liquigas.

He also a former winner of the young rider classification of the Tour de France, which he topped in 2002, and three years later he finished second overall in that race behind Lance Armstrong as the American took his seventh and final title.

Basso is currently riding in the Tour de France where his team, ranked third overall in the UCI World Tour ranking prior to the start of the race, has achieved three stage victories through Peter Sagan, with Vincenzo Nibali lying third overall after yesterday’s Stage 11.

Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain Race Director commented: “We are delighted to have the Liquigas – Cannondale team participate in The Tour of Britain for the first time. The inclusion of such a high-profile team led by two-time winner of Giro d’Italia, Ivan Basso, underlines the growing status of The Tour of Britain and its importance to pro cycling teams.”

This year’s Tour of Britain starts in Ipswich on Sunday 9 September and will also visit Scotland and Wales before ending on Sunday 16 September in Guildford.

The full route is shown below, while the routes of some stages also feature in this year’s Tour Ride programme, further details of which can be found here.                                 

The Tour of Britain 2012

Stage 1        
Sunday 9th September               
Ipswich to Norfolk Showground

Stage 2        
Monday 10th September             
Nottingham to Knowsley Safari Park

Stage 3      
Tuesday11th September
Jedburgh to Dumfries

Stage 4       
Wednesday 12th September       
Carlisle to Blackpool

Stage 5        
Thursday 13th September           
The Stoke-on-Trent Stage

Stage 6         
Friday 14th September               
Welshpool to Caerphilly

Stage 7     
Saturday 15th September          
Barnstaple to Dartmouth

Stage 8      
Sunday 16th September             
Reigate to Guildford