Ivan Basso will again focus on the Giro d'Italia in 2014 after missing the most recent edition due to a perennial cyst. The double Giro champion has outlined his race schedule and may head to Taiwan in March in his preparation of the Italian grand tour.

After a couple of lacklustre and injury-plagued seasons, Ivan Basso had set his sights on a strong return to the Giro d'Italia in 2013. The Cannondale captain appeared to be well-prepared for the race but had to cancel his participation just a few days before the start of the event due to a perennial cyst.

The lost opportunity was a huge blow for Basso who has been hit by much bad luck since winning the 2010 Giro d'Italia. A training crash meant that he arrived at the 2011 Tour de France a notch below his best and in 2012, more crashes destroyed his preparation for the Giro d'Italia.

Due to his bad luck, many have written off 36-year-old Basso but he showed that he is still a genuine grand tour contender when he lined up  at the Vuelta a Espana in August. In the first part of the race, he appeared to be a real podium candidate but he was again hit by bad luck when he abandoned the race due to hypothermia in the Andorran cold.

He ended his season by putting in solid performances in Il Lombardia and the Tour of Beijing and so can start his preparation for the 2014 season in a confident mood. With Peter Sagan set to lead the Cannondale challenge in the Tour, Basso will again focus fully on the Giro where he hopes to take a third crown after winning the race in 2006 and 2010.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the first part of Basso's schedule will be very familiar. He will kick off his season in the traditional Italian season opener GP Costa degli Etruschi on February 2 and will do the second major Italian race Trofeo Laigueglia 19 days later. As usual, he will do the GP Lugano on March 2.

The Italian newspaper lists both the Paris-Nice and the Tour of Taiwan on his race schedule but as they are running concurrently, Basso will have to make a choice. The French stage race is traditionally part of his early season racing program but he may deviate from his usual pattern by lining up in Taiwan. Cannondale have commercial interests in the Asian country and it would be a major boost for the race to have a rider like Basso at the start.

Back in Europe, Basso will do the Volta a Catalunya before attending a training camp at altitude. He will do both of the traditional preparation races to put the final touches to his form as he will line up at both the Giro del Trentino and the Tour de Romandie before heading to the Giro.

Basso last finished the Giro in 2012 when he finished 5th overall. His last win came at the end of the 2012 season at the Japan Cup.