[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https://velo.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/GettyImages-2260250236.jpg”]
Andrew August sprinted clear from a late breakaway Friday to snag his first professional victory on stage 3 of the Volta Comunitat Valenciana.
The 20-year-old American showed tactical smarts beyond his years in a nervous finale into San Vicente del Raspeig, sitting tight in a four-rider move while Ineos Grenadiers teammate Ben Turner was poised in the chasing group behind.
August skipped his turns, saved his legs, and waited as the break’s advantage bled down to seconds under the red kite from the chasing peloton.
“I didn’t expect it all today. With 50km to go, the team said it’s time to go to the front to pull back the break. I followed the attack, and I had no reason to pull because we had Ben behind for the sprint,” August said on Eurosport. “It’s not the way I imagined my first pro win. I saved a lot of energy for the finale, and it was not my role to contribute, so I sprinted from the back. It was amazing.”
August launched at the right moment, and held off Ådne Holter and Florian Vermeersch to seal the win in 3:20:54 and open his pro account with his first win since joining Ineos Grenadiers in 2024.
The victory is a breakthrough for one of American cycling’s most highly touted young talents, who joined Ineos as a teenager in 2024 after making the jump straight into the WorldTour from the Hot Tubes development squad.
More to come …
[analyse_source url=”https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/american-talent-august-plays-breakaway-perfectly-to-snag-first-pro-win/”]