Jani Brajkovic – Tour De France Cyclist

The Elite Sport Group (ESG) provide sports nutrition services to Janez (“Jani”) Brajkovic, who’s Tour De France and the Olympic Games performances have been the revelation of the 2012 season.

The ESG started to work on Jani Brajkovic nutrition in 2011 when he rode for Team Radioshack. We continued developing his race nutrition program when he moved to Team Astana in 2012. Our key focus was to improve on the ‘meal plans’ that he had been using previously so that he could move closer to attaining his true physical potential. The ESG used a unique and scientific approach that included personalising Brajkovic nutrition to enhance the effects of sea level and altitude training. We also used a range of interventions to enhance all aspects of muscle recovery and refueling, which included reducing muscle breakdown and increasing the rate of energy delivery.

Despite great physical condition at the 2011 Tour De France Jani Brajkovic never had the opportunity to show his form as he was forced retired with a broken clavicle on stage 5. ESG were on call to provide personalised nutrition to counter the effects of the crash. This included a program to counter the concussion he suffered in the crash, promote healing of his broken clavicle and reduce muscle loss during his rehabilitation. Just 5 weeks after the crash Jani finished third in the Tour of Utah, which is America’s toughest stage race. Jani was beaten by on on form Levi Leipheimer

For the 2012 Tour De France the ESG further personalised and developed the Jani Brajkovic nutrition program, to optimise his performance for each race stage. He finished 9th overall in the Tour De France, a huge improvement on his previous finish of 44th in 2010. This performance was even more remarkable as Jani suffered four heavy crashes during the race, the last coming just 3 days before the finish in Paris. Jani used sports medicine programs from the ESG to overcome his injuries more quickly and  maintain good performances.

Less than two weeks after the 2012 Tour De France Jani was in action at the London Olympics, finishing in a highly creditable 10th in the Time Trial. With this performance Jani Brajkovic joined Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome as the only riders to finish in the top 10 at the 2012 Tour De France and the Time Trial at the London 2012 Olympics.

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