Basso forced to withdraw from 2015 Tour de France after cancer diagnosis

Ivan Basso revealed the news at the Saxo-Tinkoff rest day press conference ©AFP/Getty Images

Two-time Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso has been forced to withdraw from this year's Tour de France after being diagnosed with testicular cancer and is to undergo an operation to remove a tumour.

The Italian rider had first felt pain following a minor crash on the fifth stage of the race according to Saxo-Tinkoff team doctor Piet De Moor and having continued to experience discomfort in following stages further examination revealed a lump on his testicle.

Following tests today at a hospital in Pau, where the first rest day of this year's race is taking place, the presence of a tumour was confirmed with the 37-year-old immediately withdrawing from the race to seek treatment.

Basso, winner of the Giro d'Italia in 2006 and 2011, was likely to be one of Alberto Contador's key domestiques in the mountain stages of the race as the Spanish rider bids to win the Tour de France for the third time.

Disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong also tweeted his support to Basso, having suffered from the disease himself during his career, while his team-mate Contador vowed to win the yellow jersey for his colleague.

Saxo-Tinkoff's Spanish team leader Alberto Contador offered his support to Ivan Basso following the diagnosis ©Getty Images

"On behalf of the entire team I'd like to say that it has been a blow to all of us," said Contador.

"We never imagined such a thing would happen.

"Ivan's health is the absolute priority and he has to undergo all the necessary tests to find the best solution.

"I'd like to stress that the entire team will give its best in order to get the yellow jersey and enjoy it in Paris with him."

Basso, a climbing specialist, has often been a controversial figure in the sport having been unable to compete at the 2006 Tour de France due to allegations of his involvement in the Operación Puerto blood doping case.

Then, having admitted to Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) in 2007 that he had attempted to dope, he was given a two-year ban.

After his return from his ban Basso had a successful six-year spell at Italian team Liquigas, before joining Saxo-Tinkoff on a two-year deal in 2014.

The three-week stage race is set to resume tomorrow with a 167 kilometres stage to La Pierre-Saint-Martin, with the final steep climb at the close of the tenth stage potentially offering Britain's Chris Froome the opporunity to extend his lead.