Liquigas captain concentrated on Vuelta's Golden fleece
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Ivan Basso (Liquigas) enjoys a lighter moment on the track in Assen(Image credit: Sirotti)
Italy's Ivan Basso (Liquigas) in Vuelta a España stage one.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas)(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) gets his start(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Italy's Ivan Basso (Liquigas) is an overall favourite(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso on course.(Image credit: Elmar Krings)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) warms up.(Image credit: Elmar Krings)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) before the stage.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Italy's Ivan Basso (Liquigas)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) in Vuelta a España stage seven in Valencia.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) leads Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) looks to be in good shape(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) finishes the day's stage(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) keeps in touch with his rivals(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) rides at the front ahead of the Caisse d'Epargne squad.(Image credit: Lavuelta.com)
Italy's Ivan Basso (Liquigas) at the Vuelta a España(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Robert Gesink (Rabobank) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) chased together.(Image credit: sirott)
Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), Robert Gesink (Rabobank) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) couldn't catch the two off the front.(Image credit: sirott)
Robert Gesink (Rabobank) leads Ivan Basso (Liquigas) across the finish.(Image credit: sirott)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) (Image credit: sirott)
Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) leads Ivan Basso (Liquigas) in behind Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) on the Velefique(Image credit: Sirotti)
Basso (Liquigas) finishes with Juan Jose Cobo (Fuji-Servetto)(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas) attacked with four kilometres to go, but lost time by the finish(Image credit: Sirotti)
Ivan Basso arrived at the Vuelta confident of a strong performance. In his comeback year the Italian has already finished fifth overall at the Giro d'Italia and has done enough to be marked down by most as a contender in Spain throughout September.
Good form, a strong Liquigas team and renewed motivation could be enough to see Basso challenge for his second Grand Tour victory, and his first since the 2006 Giro. In the early days of this year's race, a key rival, Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne), said the Italian would be tough to beat. Follow Basso's progress in pictures here.
Click here to view an image gallery of Ivan Basso's Vuelta a España.
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