Astana Cycling Team

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Slovenian excited to come back to Kazakh team in 2011
After a “pretty disappointing season”, Janez Brajkovič is preparing for his move from RadioShack to Astana, and has told Cyclingnews that he is excited about the challenge that lies ahead.

A revelation of the 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné, where he won GC ahead Alberto Contador, the 28-year-old Slovenian told Cyclingnews in a video interview that he “put everything” into the Tour de France this year but crashed on stage 5 and pulled out.

“I was super motivated after the Tour and probably I did too much in training," he said. As a result he missed his top form at his second grand tour, the Vuelta a Espana, and finishing 22nd.

Brajkovič says he is “excited” to come back to Astana where he raced in 2008 and 2009. The team management was different then, as Johan Bruyneel was in charge. The Slovenian has worked with the Belgian boss since 2005, so his transfer was an important decision.

After some “long talks with [Giuseppe] Martinelli”, the new team manager, Brajkovič decided to move to the team where he has “freedom” to choose his race schedule. He says he might go to Tirreno-Adriatico (instead of Paris-Nice where he took 7th this year), “one or two Classics”, the Tour of Romandie, the Critérium du Dauphiné or the Tour of Swiss “and then the Tour”.

Brajkovič says he is ready to share the leadership with other riders. “Vino is our leader and we will work well together”, he said diplomatically.