The Italian rider won the World Championship Road Race, the Points Jersey in one of the Grand Tours, and stood on the podium of one of the five monuments in cycling.

Basso won the 1972 World Championship Road Race in front of Franco Bitossi of Italy and Cyril Guimard of France.

Basso also won the Points Jersey in the 1971 Giro d’Italia.

In addition, he was 3rd in the 1971 Paris-Roubaix Classic behind Roger Rosiers and Herman Van Springel of Belgium.