Basso leads inspired CSC

Basso, runner-up to Lance Armstrong in last year's Tour de France, heads into Wednesday's La Fleche Wallonne and Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege preparing himself for an assault on the Giro D'Italia before his campaign to inherit Lance's Tour legacy.

"They are two key steps in my build-up for the Giro in May." Basso told Reuters. "I've always done well in these two races and if I'm up there I'll have a go myself.

"But we have plenty of strong guys in my team and I would be proud to help any of them to win, too."

Team CSC's line-up for La Fleche Wallonne also includes Frank Schleck, the winner of last Sunday's Amstel Gold Race.

Schleck followed up team-mate Fabian Cancellara's victory in Paris-Roubaix by becoming the first rider from Luxembourg to win Amstel Gold.

He was confident that his squad will continue their strong performances on the 204km trip from Charleroi to the final ascent up the painfully steep, and generally decisive, 1-km long Mur de Huy.

"We had a super week," Schelck said. "Why not one of us on the Huy?"

German Jens Voigt and Kartens Kroon, the Dutchman who played a critical part in Schleck's Amstel Gold win, also race for CSC at Fleche Wallonne giving the team several riders capable of victory.

La Fleche Wallonne Start List