Basso does two post-Giro crits

Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso (CSC) will pay tribute to his fans at two post-Giro criteriums in Italy this week. On Thursday, he will take part in the evening race in Arona (Gran Premio Formaggi Guffanti - GP Fontaneto Ravioli), while on Friday he will do the Gran Premio SBS.

The Gran Premio Formaggi Guffanti-GP Fontaneto Ravioli has attracted a solid field, including (in addition to Basso), Franco Pellizotti, Alessandro Spezialetti, Andrea Noè, Dario Andriotto (Liquigas), Fabio Sacchi, Alberto Ongarato, Elia Rigotto, Alessandro Vanotti, Sergio Ghisalberti (team Milram), Damiano Cunego, Paolo Tiralongo, Giuliano Figueras, Sylvester Szmyd (Lampre Fondital), Gilberto Simoni, Leonardo Piepoli, Guido Trentin (Saunier Duval - Prodir), Francesco Bellotti (Credit Agricole), Emanuele Sella (Ceramica Panaria - Navigare), Giovanni Lombardi (Team CSC), Serguei Gonchar, Scott Davis (T-Mobile), Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel), Gabriele Missaglia, Sergio Barbero, Wladimir Belli, Raffaele Illiano, Alberto Loddo (Selle Italia Diquigiovanni), Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner). The racing will start at 20:45 and will include a scratch race and an elimination race.

Prior to the race, Basso will be on hand at the Nobili Rubinetterie factory in Suno to launch the first "safety car" in the world of cycling.

On Friday, June 2 in Miasino, Basso will take part in the fourth Gran Premio SBS. Starting from 14:45 outside the SBS factory, the riders will race to the top of Mottarone, a 14.5 km climb.