Armstrong's team keeping eye on Basso

PARIS (AP) -- Lance Armstrong's team would like to sign Italian cyclist Ivan Basso but hasn't approached him yet.

"We've been interested a long while in Basso as a cyclist and on human grounds," Discovery spokesman Jogi Muller told The Associated Press by telephone Friday. "But he is under contract. There are no negotiations at the moment."

Basso finished third behind Armstrong in this year's Tour de France, riding for Team CSC. He was impressive in the mountains and even edged Armstrong to win the 12th stage.

Basso, 26, is widely considered a possible future Tour champion.

Discovery's sporting director Johan Bruyneel "has a list of favorites and Basso is on it," Muller said.

But Team CSC head Bjarne Riis, the 1996 Tour winner, insists Basso will stay.

"Of course, he has a three-year contract and he will not leave the team," Riis said in a telephone interview.

During his record-breaking 2004 Tour, Armstrong said he had "a ton of respect" for Basso, calling his "the brightest future for the Tour."

Armstrong has yet to confirm whether he'll race in next year's Tour. Bruyneel put the odds at 50-50.

"He will take part if the thinks he can win it," Bruyneel said Thursday. "If things do not go according to how he likes them, it's possible he will not be here."

Without speculating on whether Armstrong will race, Muller said that if the six-time champion doesn't enter, "Basso becomes one of the favorites, not just in the Tour but in the other big races."

Basso joined Riis at Team CSC in January, replacing Tyler Hamilton as team leader.

He began to flourish in 2002, finishing with the white jersey as Tour's best young rider. He was 11th overall that year, and seventh in 2003.