Vincenzo Nibali will be moving to Astana in 2013, which means Ivan Basso will be the team captain at Team Cannondale for stage races. He will target victory at the 2013 Giro d'Italia, which means former team mate Nibali will become one his biggest rivals.

"Nibali is a big loss because he's the Italian rider that can guarantee the best results for Italy in stage races. Now he's my number one rival. No problem, I know how to deal with it," Basso said.

Basso seems to enjoy the Cannondale team and he says he doesn't feel like leaving.

"[...] I've always had faith in this group of people. I don’t like to change teams often, " he said. "This team has its own soul and identity that I think I've contributed to. It feels like a tailor-made suit for me. The sponsor has changed but the team spirit is the same."