His Tinkoff-Saxo team tweeted on Wednesday the "fabulous" news that further tests had allowed a line to be drawn under the episode.
Basso was diagnosed with cancer at the Tour de France in July. Feeling a pain in his left testicle in the aftermath of a crash on stage 5, he underwent tests in the Tour’s medical unit and later at hospital in Pau, which revealed a tumour. He announced the news – along with his immediate withdrawal from the Tour – in an emotionally-charged rest-day press conference and flew back to Italy shortly afterwards to undergo surgery.
That operation to remove the testicle was a success, with Professor Francesco Montorsi, Director of the Urology Surgery Unit at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, saying: “The patient has perfectly recovered from the intervention. The final histological examination shows, currently, no indication for additional treatment and the patient will be closely observed during the following months.”
Just over two months on, Basso has seemingly been given the all clear. The Italian was back on his bike last month but will make his return to racing at the Saitama Criterium on October 24. Beyond that, the 37-year-old's future in the sport is uncertain - despite having a contract with Tinkoff-Saxo for next year - since this incident has caused him to reconsider his career plans.
