I’m preparing for the end of the season
August 18, 2005
After the intense post-Tour period, I decided to stop for a moment, though the legs continue to turn on their own, so as to witness the big win at the Tour of Denmark. In the meantime, in September, my team will participate in the Vuelta. The selected teammates for this Spanish appointment are Carlos Sastre, Christian Vandevelde, Jakob Piil, Nicki Sorensen, Manuel Calvente, Linus Gerdemann, Andrea Peron, Giovanni Lombardi and Vladimir Gusev.

(Translated by Jessica)

Victories & affection for Denmark
August 6, 2005
Three consecutive victories certainly don’t happen everyday. Here in Denmark I found an incredible affection, the people follow me with so much enthusiasm. I saw so many children with my name written on their faces. Every time I transfer I always find many people waiting for me, above all young people. This country has adopted me and the inhabitants have demonstrated this to me continuously.

The heart & the mind
August 12, 2005
Giro d’Italia? My heart desires it, because I am an old-style athlete, like Gianni Bugno and Miguel Indurain who raced until Lombardia, and I wish to repay the affection of the Italians at the Giro. However, I must reflect and try to understand if this cost me the Tour. Without the Giro I could have done something better, although this year anyway Lance has won. I don’t want to find myself again in the position of not being able to try and to be at a disadvantage with respect to my adversaries. And this is the grand question from here to December.

(Translated by Jessica)

Despite winning 4 stages, the overall, and the points jersey in the Tour of Denmark, Ivan Basso is by no means satiated. Thus yesterday, he won the 100 km criterieum Gouden Pijl in front of future team mate Karsten Kroon (who has just signed a 2-year contract with Team CSC). Despite his winning ways, Basso is now officially “resting” before he returns for his goals for the end of the season which are Giro del Emilia and Giro di Lombardia.

Team CSC and Ivan Basso controlled the peloton today, to finish the week’s work at the Tour of Denmark. After the 160 kms ending in Copenhagen were Team Wiesenhof’s Andre Greibel won the bunch sprint (I was there, so I’ll be posting some pictures later, once I get home this weekend).

With 4 stage wins in 5 days (with 6 stages in total), the Tour of Denmark was (in Jens Voigt’s words): The Ivan Basso show. Never before has any single rider (or team) dominated the race as strongly as Ivan did these past few days. Ivan Basso won the overall 2:28 in front of team mate Kurt Asle-Arvesen. He also won the points jersey, and Team CSC won the team competition.

”Reaching Copenhagen was a brilliant feeling and the perfect finish to a great week for me and my team. I’ve seen how popular we are here, and I must admit it’s made a huge impression on me to meet the Danish people and seeing how much they love to watch cycling. This week has given me a lot and I’ll never forget the support we’ve received,” said a happy Ivan Basso after having been on the podium for the last time in this year’s Tour of Denmark.

The comment of the day came from Kurt Asle-Arvesen (last year’s winner) to Bjarne Riis: “Why did you have to bring Ivan here?”

For those of you not from Denmark, you can see summaries of the stages (streaming video) on the following link (click on the links stating “Se Post Danmark Rundt…”) here:

Post Danmark Rundt on Danish TV

Friday sported two stages, a short 90 km road stage, and the time trial that often decides the Tour of Denmark. On the fourth stage, Ivan Basso - unusually in this year’s Tour - did not take the stage win. That went to Parrido Grillo from Ceramica Panaria in the bunch sprint. All was back to normal during the evenings Time Trial on the fifth stage.

Riding last, Basso completely dominated the time trial winning the 13,8 km 24 seconds ahead of Jens Voigt and 40 seconds in front of Kurt Asle-Arvesen. Basso now leads on the overall with 2:28 minutes down to second place - Kurt Asle-Arvesen.

I’m deeply impressed. Ivan did one of his best time trials ever and once again proved, he has developed into a world class rider in this discipline. You have to be outstanding to beat Jens Voigt in a 13-kilometer time trial, and that’s exactly what Ivan was today,” said Riis.

”I did a super time trial, and right from the beginning I was flying. I’m not particularly used to winning, especially not in the time trials, but at the moment it seems like everything is possible – and that’s a good feeling,” said a very happy Ivan Basso.

On the second and third stages of the Tour of Denmark, Ivan Basso showed a new side of his talent, and demonstrated an “old” one.

As the peloton arrived en masse at Aarhus on the second stage (much thanks to Ivan who even took a few turns on the front of the peloton during the day), Danielle Nardello launched an attack from 7 kms out, and just like the previous day, Ivan showed his willingness to attack. Only a few seconds in front of the peloton (who were looking for a bunch sprint), Ivan and Nardello pounded through the wet, slick streets of Aarhus. With only a few hundred metres it looked as if Basso, Nardello and Vaitkus would be swallowed by the peloton, but Basso opened up the sprint from far out and for the second day in a row, Basso could take the victory in the Tour of Denmark.

The third stage to Vejle provided Basso with a chance to demonstrate his primary competence: climbing. Although Denmark has no mountains, it does have hills - and stage three ended with four visits over Kiddesvej - a short hill, but with an incline of 21%. Basso made the selection - twice - and on the third lap, he could cross the finish line as the victor (or so he thought). After being informed of the error, Basso could then take yet another lap, and finish the race half a minute ahead of the nearest pursuers, and with a margin of 1:49 on the GC.

With his victory on the third stage, Basso also became the first rider to win three stages in the 15 year history of the Tour of Denmark - and underscored his total dominance of the race so far. Impressive, considering that the Tour of Denmark is not usually a type of race to suit Basso.

In Denmark: Better than can be believed
August 5, 2005
A one-two that surely gave me a certain satisfaction. To win in Denmark, the home of Bjarne, was certainly a big joy. I must say that I found a warm reception, in contrast to the weather, always uncertain these days. It’s not the first time that I’ve seized two victories in 24 hours - that already happened to me in the Giro. What is there to say, at times you try for victories and they don’t come, other times they come quite easily.

(Translated by Jessica)

In the Tour of Denmark, Basso showed his qualities when he put in a decisive attack on the final kilometers of the first stage of the race. On what was a rainy, windy day, one would not normally have considered Ivan Basso a player. For a long time, it looked like the victory would go to Ivan’s compatriot Jens Voigt who had attacked after only a few kilometers, but Voigt went dead with 30 kms to go. Attack followed counterattack on the winding, slippery streets of Skive, but with less than 10 kms to go, Basso put in an unanswerable attack on a small hill and held the small advantage all the way home.

”I’m happy to be able to finish off the nice work done by the team. This isn’t exactly my terrain, but I felt good, and I can feel, that I’m still on form after the Tour. This is an important race for my team, and it was a pleasure to win in front of this fantastic crowd,” said a happy Ivan Basso, who now leads the Tour of Denmark, 13 seconds ahead of Andre Greipel (Team Wiesenshof), who finished second in the stage by beating Kurt-Asle Arvesen in the peloton’s sprint.

”It was great to see Ivan win like this. It takes guts and class to attack on streets soaked with rain, but he’s clearly in excellent shape and really has the energy to go the distance. The race is still open, but I think, we’ve had the perfect start with Ivan in yellow,” said Bjarne Riis after the stage.

Ivan’s thoughts about Lance Armstrong
July 29, 2005
If they ask me what remains for me the biggest opponent of this Tour, it is the memory of an athlete the likes of whom is rarely born. Armstrong is a perfect machine, with an incredible motor and a great mind that works at 100%. His form is like Maradona, like Schumacher or Tiger Woods, one of the unerring legends of sport.

I always held out
July 30, 2005
If I must make a careful consideration, I would say that, with respect to the 10 favorites that had wagered everything on the Tour, I would have paid for the rest period after the Giro. I was strong again, I think, if I only lost a little to Ullrich and I beat all the other specialists. Only Armstrong gave a demonstration of unnatural strength. There were not moments of true difficulty. At Courchevel, when I was gapped off, I wasn’t really in crisis, but I was thinking about not going out for a turn. The worst moment of this year remains the crisis on the Stelvio at the Giro d’Italia: that day I didn’t know how I would arrive at the finish.

All of you
July 30, 2005
In this period after the Tour de France, I am analyzing all that happened in the three weeks of the race with much happiness. I believe that we want a little time to evaluate all the particulars that can be fundamental for the 2006 season. See you soon - Ivan

In Denmark for a bit
August 1, 2005
I’ve been put to work in a series of criteriums in Europe. In the morning, I take a coach for about 100k and in the evening I race. There are always many people along the streets to cheer us on, and I have signed hundreds of autographs. I was in Holland & Germany, and then shortly I will leave again to go race the Tour of Denmark.

(Translated by Jessica)