Ivan Basso has been forced to withdraw from the Tour De France.
The Tinkoff Saxo rider was diagnosed on Monday morning with having cancer in his left testicle.
The double Giro D'Italia winner had crashed on stage five and a lump was found by the medical team who examined him.
An echogram and a further examination in a hospital in Pau this morning revealed the bad news that the lump was indeed cancerous.
“Unfortunately I have a bad announcement,” Basso said at the Tinkoff Saxo press conference in Pau on the first rest of the 2015 Tour De France. “I have a small cancer in my left testicle, so you can understand that I have to go back to Italy. We discovered this just two hours ago.”
Alberto Contador, his team mate and friend said: “It’s a very tough blow to the whole team, we never imagined a day like this.
“Ivan and I have spent 120 of the past 180 days together. I’m sure we’ll be together to celebrate in Paris.”