For Ivan Basso, cycling is a passion and a way of life. Now the Italian will change his approach to racing as he prepares to be a luxury domestique for Alberto Contador and will be another example of a champion who works for another in the final part of his career. “It is not a step back, it is a step forward,” he tells BiciCiclismo and says that he faces the “new adventure” with “great motivation” and with one priority: to help Contador win races.”

At 37 years of age, Basso is still focused on the present and the future. After 17 seasons as a professional, he is still very motivated as he starts a new part of his career with Tinkoff-Saxo. In an interview with BiciCiclismo, he makes it clear that he has realized that his time of glory with two Giro d’Italia wins (2006 and 2010) and two podiums in the Tour de France (2nd in 2005 and 3rd in 2004) is over but he still claims to have much to offer. He showed his skills as a domestique in the recent Vuelta a Andalucia.

“It’s all new to me,” he tells the Spanish website. “It is a new team, a new adventure with an excellent rider like Alberto. For me it is a great motivation to do the final part of my career at his side, to contribute the maximum to achieve his goals. And I'm very proud of it.

”You are a veteran when you don’t want to ride anymore. You are a veteran when you prefer to sleep instead of going for a training ride. For me it is not an obligation. I like this, it is not a duty, it is a pleasure.

”My motivation is the same: the mentality of a leader with another job. Nothing is different for me. The mentality of a leader is always to work and do the best, and that's what I do. Yes, there is a difference as I am no longer protected and will ride in support of Alberto. He is the only leader in this team and is my top priority. And the whole team has that mentality. Like I said, I do not feel that this is a step back, it is a step forward. I think that putting your ambition in service of another is an act of personal intelligence, maturity and intellectual clarity.

“My personal ambition is to be present in the decisive moments of the races alongside Alberto. And it is a great ambition. I think that I can do well and I hope that my fans will be able to enjoy it.”

Basso first big task will be to support Contador at the Giro and he will follow the Spaniard throughout the spring.

“I will do Tirreno, Catalunya and the Giro. I don’t know about the Tour yet.”

In the last few years, Basso has struggled in the grand tours and he has gradually realized that he is no longer a contender in those races.

“Maybe it started in 2012,” he said. “In the 2013 Vuelta, everything was good but the cold forced me to withdraw. It's something physiological. The last few years were difficult because the legs did not take me where I wanted. I have always thought that you have to respect your limits. The good and the bad times in a career are like a wheel. You always have to have great ambitions and hope for the best. When you do not get results, but give the maximum, your conscience is clear.”

Basso has currently signed a two-year contract but he does not know whether there is more in store.

“I don’t know,” he said. “It is very hard to think about that right now. I have a clear objective: to help Contador.”

Contador has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2016 season but Basso is not concerned.

“It’s personal for him,” he said. “I think I should not worry about Alberto’s retirement.”

With Vicenzo Nibali, Fabio Aru and Davide Formolo, Basso is convinced that the future of Italian cycling looks bright.

“I rode with Nibali at Liquigas from 2009 to 2012,” he said. “He is a classy rider and his progression has been steady.  And now he reaps the benefits of many years of hard work.

“Aru is also predestined for success. He has had a great youth and U23 career.”

However, he sees Formolo as the next big Italian rider.

“If I had the chance to sign a rider, I would choose him,” he said. “He is much like me: we have the same characteristics and the same focus on the sport and that is very important. He is an intelligent person and I understand him without much talk. He knows he has to listen to people that are close to him. My best advice is to go with that mentality and a desire to do his job.”

Basso may be an Italian but he knows what he hopes will happen in July.

“Yes, Nibali is Italian, but we are professionals,” he said. “Here we do not ride in our national colours, except at the Worlds. The Tour is a professional race and I will ride for my team and my leader.”