Ivan Basso out of Tour de France after check reveals cancer in testicle he hurt in crash

VETERAN Ivan Basso is dropping out of the Tour de France after a medical check revealed cancer in a testicle he hurt in a crash earlier in the race.

(FILES) A picture taken on April 29, 2012 in Crans-Montana shows Italy's Ivan Basso ridings under heavy clouds the 16.5 km race against the clock during the final stage of the Tour de Romandie cycling race. Basso is quitting the Tour de France after revealing on July 12, 2015 that he has testicular cancer. The two-time former Giro d'Italia winner was due to be a key support rider for one of the favourites Alberto Contador in the mountain stages beginning on July 15. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI

WHAT should have been a day in which the Tour de France mountain battle occupied everyone’s thoughts has been overshadowed by the shock news Ivan Basso has testicular cancer.

The 37-year-old Italian stunned the gathered media when he arrived at a press conference in Pau meant to be about his Tinkoff-Saxo team leader Alberto Contador and dropped a bombshell about his health.

“Unfortunately I have a bad announcement to give to you guys,” said Basso, a former Giro d’Italia winner.

“In stage number five I had a really small crash and on the crash I touched my testicle on the saddle.

“For a few days I felt a small pain. Yesterday (Sunday) our doctor spoke with the doctor of the Tour and we decided to go to make a special analysis to the hospital.

“The examination gave me bad news: I have a small cancer in the left testicle.

“So it’s easy to understand that I have to stop and go back to Italy. Our doctor is already in contact with the specialist in Italy to fix the operation as soon as possible.”

Contador himself led fellow riders past and present in offering their support to Basso.

“It has been a very tough day for the whole team; we never imagined something like that,” said the Spaniard.

“For me it has been very hard because over the last 180 days we spent 120 days together and we have been very close to each other.” Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde chipped in: “On behalf of the whole team we want to give him the best wishes in the world. “It’s a shame that these things happen, but that’s life and he has our sympathy and support.” Even disgraced former champion cyclist Lance Armstrong offered his sympathies.

Thinking about @ivanbasso and wishing him the very best as he embarks on his cancer journey. #IvanSTRONG!!

— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) July 13, 2015

Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996 but recovered to go on and dominate the Tour de France — before being stripped of his seven straight titles from 1999 to 2005 for doping — while he also set up a charitable foundation called Livestrong, which raised money to battle the disease.

Basso was once one of Armstrong’s great rivals, finishing third behind the American in 2004 and second during Armstrong’s last Tour win in 2005.

But he also served a doping ban over his links to drug-doctor Eufemiano Fuentes when he was found to have “attempted” to cheat. Speaking before the Basso news dropped, other riders were looking forward to the battle ahead.

Race leader Chris Froome said on the eve of the first mountain stage on Tuesday that it is now up to his rivals to attack him. Climbing specialist Nairo Quintana is another relishing the chance to tackle the high mountains.

The final piece of the overall jigsaw is American Tejay Van Garderen, who while not considered one of the ‘fantastic four’ is second at 12 sec.