Discovery formally announces Basso signing

In a press conference held Wednesday, the Discovery Channel team formally announced that Ivan Basso will ride with the team in 2007 as reported earlier on Cyclingnews.

Johan Bruyneel, the team's director announced that Basso had signed a two-season contract with Tailwind Sports, the owner of Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team. "We are excited about Ivan joining the team," Bruyneel said, "and we're looking forward to having him at Discovery Channel's training camp in Austin on December 3rd."

Bill Stapleton, the team's general manager thinks of Basso as a chief rival of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. "During Lance's final Tour's Ivan pushed Lance to a new level, and we expect great things from him in 2007."

On October 27, 2006, the Italian Cycling Federation dropped an inquiry into Basso's involvement in the Spanish Operación Puerto after the Italian Olympic Committee made a decision to clear him. After reviewing 500 pages of documentation, the governing organization decided there was no justification in bringing disciplinary proceeding against Basso.