After a long career as team leader, Ivan Basso has changed his perspective for 2015. The Italian is ready to support Alberto Contador who aims to win the Giro d'Italia with the Italian at his side.

Ivan Basso is ready for the new experience at Tinkoff-Saxo . In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian elaborated on the reasons for his decision to join the Russian team

"I have finished a wonderful experience with [Cannondale manager] Roberto Amadio's team and I have opened the door to a very strong team, perhaps the strongest in the world, with a captain whom I have always respected. Contador is an athlete of extraordinary talent. He has legs, heart and above all a head. He is still hungry for victory, very demanding of himself and his teammates. If there is a rider who can win the Giro-Tour double, it is him."

Basso celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday and on the exact same day, he became a father for the fourth time. Now he is about to travel to Gran Canaria for the first Tinkoff-Saxo training camp.

"I am old but only compared to other cyclists," he said. "Basically I am only 37 years old and can still do a couple of seasons at the highest level. I also know that here the expectations are very high. I do not draw a bad balance from 2014."

Basso but has already planned a career after his time as a professional rider. FSA has appointed him as a global ambassador of the brand. Furthermore, he is about to add another building to his home in Cassano Magnago

"I could have decided to live in Switzerland which is a few kilometres away," he said. "But I preferred to stay in Italy and pay my taxes here. I will build 4-5 small apartments for riders who will come here to train. Ireally like the idea of following the preparation of the riders. But first I have to ride, there is a Giro to win. Alberto is very keen."

Basso also took the opportunity to reflect on his final season at Cannondale which didn't go as he had hoped.

"You can not imagine how much I feel liberated and refreshed by this new perspective. Last season went completely wrong because the responsibility was too much. I wanted and had the obligation to win but the results were not there. Now I will have no obligation to deliver results but I will have to ride in support of those who can win. Not that I have abandoned my ambitions. I will be ambitious ande determined as I have always been but the appoach and the expectations will be different."

Speaking of his old teammates, Basso is convinced that Davide Formolo has a great future.

"If I had my own team, Formolo would be the first rider I would offer a contract. He is very talented is very tenacious. He can evolve into a great rider for stage races and one day he can win the Giro d'Italia. And if I can mention a second name, I will point to Davide Villella who is a great hope for the one-day races."

Regarding Moreno Moser, Basso describes his former teammate as "a champion and a very intelligent rider. He has had problems because he does not believe enough in himself and he fights hard to overcome those diffuclties. Sometimes he cracks mentally because he has bad legs. If he only knew that the others have it even harder than him. He must learn to overcome adversary and find back to his winning ways."