July 4, 2004 – CSC, a division one team based in Denmark, is the latest top
flight team to sign up to take part in the Tour of Britain from September 1-5
and two of their top riders, Michele Bartoli and Ivan Basso have
already been contracted to ride.

Michele Bartoli, an Italian with a surname that is synonymous with cycling
in Italy, is currently ranked 27th in the UCI ranking list and he will pose
a threat to all the riders. A winner of the World Cup competition in 1997,
third in the road race at the
World Championships in 1998, he has also won the prestigious Amstel Gold
Race in 2002 and is a double winner of the Tour of Lombardy in 2002 and
2003. Bartoli is also one of the favourites to win the World Road Race
title in Verona in October and views the Tour of Britain as ideal
preparation for this.

His countryman, Ivan Basso, currently ranked 24th in the world rankings, has
caught the eye with his recent performances in the Tour de France. In 2002
he was voted the Best Young Rider on the Tour and last year he finished 7th
overall. He is seen by his manager as a potential Tour de France winner and
Bjarne Riis should know as he won the tour de France in 1996. In 2003 Basso
was second in the San Sebastian World Cup race and he will also have
ambitions for the World Championships in October.

Former British cycling star Sean Yates is an important member of the CSC
management team.