Basso to skip Giro, concentrate on the Tour

CSC's Ivan Basso has confirmed that he will skip the Giro d'Italia this year. "I want to totally concentrate on the Tour de France," he said. Basso is considered one of the favourites to win the Tour in 2006. He plans a new race program leading up to next year's race. "I have set new goals for the spring and plan to start in one or more of the Classics," he added, especially thinking about Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Courtesy of Susan Westemeyer