Story By: Sofija Dizdarevik, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport
These images show the shocking state a professional cyclist’s legs were left in after his first race as he comes back from a doping ban.
Slovenian cyclist Janez Jani Brajkovic, 35, was suspended in July 2018 for 10 months for doping, and returned in the CRO Race in Croatia this month.
The former World Under-23 Time Trial champion, posted photos showing how his legs were left with every muscle seemingly visible after the race.
The cyclist is reportedly fighting an eating disorder, which he blames for him testing positive for methylhexaneamine, as he says it was contained in a food supplement he took while not being able to eat properly.
He wrote on one of the photos: “It’s only about not f*cking it up now.”
Netizens were shocked by the images, such as ‘mpscott261’ who commented: “All set for Halloween.”
And ‘vickythekissa’ asked: “Does that hurt?”
While ‘ valtoncocaj’ wrote: “I admire you, I am tipping my hat to your will, desire and love for cycling.”
Local sports doctor Natasa Desnica, the official doctor of the Croatian ski team, told reporters: “In this sport, this is a normal occurrence and on several occasions, I have seen cyclists shortly after three weeks of cycling races in France, Italy and Spain, who looked like him.
“Their legs were incredibly tiny, with no subcutaneous fat, and they were even dehydrated, so every bone could be seen as well as veins on the face and body, and you could see every single muscle like on an anatomical atlas.
“Fortunately, the cyclist recovers from this condition relatively quickly, his appearance normalises, it is only a matter of how such cycles have a lasting effect on health.”
Brajkovic was the world under-23 Time Trial champion in 2004. He finished in 38th place in his comeback race where he represented the Adria Mobil team, with British rider Adam Yates winning.
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