Basso will begin training with Discovery next month

Basso was runner-up to former Discovery rider Lance Armstrong in the 2005 Tour de France, having finished third to the American the previous year.

Giro d'Italia winner Basso was banned from this year's Tour as part of a Spanish doping probe but the charges against him were dropped last month.

Basso, 28, split with the CSC team by mutual consent last month.

He will begin training with Discovery in December.

"It's the ideal team for me," Basso told the Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm incredibly happy. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's a new life for me - I feel reborn.

"The squad are committed to supporting me in the double challenge of the Tour of Italy and the Tour De France.

"It's a project that fills me with enthusiasm. The team and I have the same ambitions. Now I am thinking about taking a week's holiday, somewhere hot, and near the sea.

"Then I will think about 2007."

Discovery general manager, Bill Stapleton, said: "During Lance's final Tours, Ivan pushed Lance to a new level and we expect great things from him in 2007."