Brajkovic confirmed to Astana for two years

Team Astana has confirmed that Janez Brajkovic will ride for the Kazakh team in 2012 and 2013.  The transfer from Team RadioShack was reported yesterday by the French Cycling Federation's website.

“He is a strong rider who will held an important place in the Pro Team Astana. With Roman Kreuziger they will form a key pair for the Grand Tours and will be leaders of the team. They will also benefit from the experience and lessons of Alexandre Vinokourov,” said Astana team manager Giuseppe Martinelli.

Brajkovic, 28, finished third in the Tour of Utah, seventh in Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie, and ninth in the Dauphine, which he won in 2010.   He was forced to abandon this year's Tour de France on the fifth stage, when he suffered a concussion and broken collarbone in a crash.

His future had been cast into doubt with the RadioShack/Leopard merger for the coming year, and he had said he wanted to be sole captain for the Tour de France in the next few years.

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