AJ August Wins in Yellow and is Poised for Huge Career Breakthrough at Czech Tour

Continuing on the best season of his career, talented young American Andrew ‘AJ’ August is on the verge of the first GC victory of his pro career after two stomping performances at the Czech Tour.

The 20 year old from Rochester, New York grabbed the race lead Friday when he triumphed on the summit finish of stage two to Ještěd. He sprinted in two seconds ahead of Italian rider Alessandro Fancellu (MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort), with veteran climbing star Domenico Pozzovivo (Solution Tech Nippo Rali) a further three seconds back in third.

That saw him leap 76 places in the overall standings, taking the overall lead for the first time in his pro career. August flourished in yellow on Saturday, racing with confidence and style in the finale. He surged from a reduced main group with just over 1km to go, reduced the contenders again to himself, Fancellu and Pozzovivo and then won the sprint to the line.

It was an authoritative display, with August leading from the front from the moment he made his initial surge.

“Today’s stage was quite similar to yesterday in the way it played out,” he said at the finish. “The climb was steep but came down to the final kilometers. It was really good for me to keep the yellow jersey, but even better for me to win the stage.”

It was an emotional win; he wore a black armband to mark the passing of young Welsh cyclist Finlay Tarling, the brother of August’s teammate Josh Tarling, and touched that armband and then pointed to the sky as he crossed the line.

The gesture was simple and heartfelt, with many in British cycling and the sport in general feeling sorrow at the death of the young rider on Friday.

‘Today it was up to us to control the race’

August is a climbing specialist who became the youngest-ever WorldTour pro when he signed for Ineos Grenadiers prior to the 2024 season. The former US junior TT champion has improved steadily since then and landed his first pro victory earlier this season when he outsprinted three others to take stage three of the Volta Comunitat Valenciana.

Even more impressive was his success on the final stage of Itzulia Basque Country, where he soloed in 16 seconds ahead of the next rider. It was the first WorldTour win of his career.

Now August has picked up two more victories in two days, and could nail a third if he takes the final GC victory on Sunday’s concluder at Pustevny.

Keeping an eye on Fancellu will be a priority. The Italian is now 11 seconds back overall, with Pozzovivo at 23 seconds.

“For sure, Alessandro and I are on a similar level, there wasn’t much between us either day,” August said.

“Today it was all up to us to control the race, and I expect more of that tomorrow.”