A Slovenian cyclist has posted a shocking photo of his leg muscles following his return to the sport, having been suspended last year for 10 months.
Janez Brajkovic got back on the bike earlier this month to take part in the CRO Race, a men's cycling stage race that takes place in Croatia, formally known as The Tour of Croatia.
The 35-year-old cyclist was suspended in July last year after testing positive for a contaminated food supplement.
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He's now made a comeback to cycling, sharing a photo of his strained leg muscles on Instagram after racing in the CRO, writing: "It's only about not f***ing it up now."
Earlier this year, Brajkovic revealed his long-running struggle with bulimia in an emotional blog post entitled 'Skeleton in the closet' - where he claimed that methylhexaneamine - the contaminated food supplement he was banned for - was the only thing he was able to consume because of his eating disorder.
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The sportsman explained how he wanted to explain his 'actions, reactions and above everything why I'm so determined to race again'.
He detailed his 'poor relationship with food', which he said had grown into an eating disorder, writing: "It happened quick and before I knew it, I realised I was not in control anymore.
"It had me under control, no matter what.
"Ironically it was not about the weight, I was always lean and if needed I could lose an extra kilo or two without a problem. I didn't know what was it about at the time, if not the weight. And I didn't know how to fix it."
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He continued: "I had to tell them, I told the UCI, I told them everything.
"The whole reason I took that meal replacement was, because it was the only thing I could keep in. In that period there wasn't a day I wouldn't cry before going out for a ride. I was desperate, and everything was dark to me. The thing I loved, I dedicated [my] whole life to, was being taken away from me."
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Brajkovic added: "In a way this was a blessing, I found help, I'm doing well, and I'm not offended by negative comments if I know they're wrong. I don't care what other say or think what I should do and how I should live.
"I have self confidence back, I love myself. And in order to love others, you need to love yourself first.
"I can take a critic [sic] if it's justified, nobody's perfect. And as long as you get up after falling down, you're not a failure.
"This is why I want to race, cycling is me, we're inseparable. I'm aware there will be time to stop, and I have a future plan, but this is not the time yet."
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Janez BrajkovicTopics: SPORT, News, SPORT, News