Ivan Basso, in a documentary for ESPN 30 for 30, claimed that Basso, along with several other former dopers, was "beautified" and returned to the sport after his doping suspension and is still making an active living, even though Armstrong, a Texas native Despite this, he refused to fight back against Lance Armstrong.

In the second and final part of the "LANCE" documentary, which will air on ESPN Player on June 1, Armstrong talks about Basso and other former dopers who have managed to return to the sport and Jan Ulrich, who suffered from substance abuse problems in 2018. He explained his decision to visit him in Germany.

In the final moments of the documentary, Armstrong becomes emotional when asked about Ullrich, explaining that he too was expelled after his doping problems. Armstrong blamed cycling and compared his own plight to Ulrich and Marco Pantani, contrasting the way they were treated with Basso, Eric Zabel, and George Hincapie.

"The country of Italy glorifies and idolizes Ivan Basso, puts him on top, gives him jobs, invites him to races, puts him on TV. He is no different from us. But they undermine Marco Pantani, destroy him in the press, drive him out of the sport, and he is dead.

"The German nation idolizes Eric Zabel and Rolf Aldag, gives them jobs, puts them on TV, invites them to races, puts them on the podium. But they defame, destroy, and ruin Jan Ulrich's life. Why. [The country of America idolizes, glorifies, worships, invites George Hincapie to races, gives him jobs, buys him. And it humiliates and destroys me. That's why I went [to see Ulrich in Germany]. Because he is an asshole."

Basso, who along with Ullrich and Pantani was one of Armstrong's biggest rivals in the Tour de France, was far more diplomatic when his doping was discovered months after his stunning victory in the 2006 Giro d'Italia. He eventually confessed, but was helped back into the sport after years of other doping scandals by some in the Italian media and the Italian Cycling Federation. He signed with Liquigas as a Grand Tour leader and won the 2010 Giro d'Italia.

"I have done good and not so good things in cycling," Basso told the Italian newspaper Il Giornale when asked about Armstrong's comments.

"In 2006, I was involved in Operación Puerto, and for that I had my back against the wall: I confessed and received a two-year ban in return. I went from heaven to hell. For the last 15 years I have worked hard in cycling. I run a development team (Kometa-Xstra) with Alberto Contador and have other interests. I'm trying to make the sport better."

Basso also refused to criticize Armstrong for the support the Texan has shown him and his family.

"Frankly, I haven't seen the documentary, so I don't know if he described it that way. All I can say is that I will always be grateful to Lance. When my mother Knives got sick with cancer, he did everything he could to help us, as he did when I got sick in 2015. He was always generous and helpful."

Basso was unable to beat Armstrong in the Tour de France, despite working closely with Bjarne Riis on the CSC team from 2004 to 2006. He still believes that Armstrong was simply the better rider.

"Cycling was strange back then, but Lance was a force of nature.

Both parts of ESPN's "30 for 30": available on ESPN Player (opens in new tab). The price is £9.99 (12. 16), access to ESPN movies, college sports broadcasts from around the U.S., X Games, and much more. The annual pass costs £69.99 ($85.21). Both packages include a one-week free trial, which can be stopped at any time.

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