AJ August crowned champion of Czech Tour

AJ August secured overall victory at the Czech Tour, completing a dominant race with two stage wins and second place on the final stage to claim the GC title.

The final stage saw five riders form the early breakaway, and with just 40km remaining, the group still held a 1:30 advantage over the peloton with the decisive climb of Pustevny still to come.

Netcompany-INEOS worked hard to control the race, with Ben Swift making a big turn on the front with 25km remaining before peeling off with 11km to go. As the race reached the lower slopes of the Pustevny climb, the team continued to drive the pace with just 8km remaining.

With 3km to go, Jack Haig made a significant turn on the front, helping to set up August for the tense finale.

Alessandro Fancellu (MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort) launched his sprint with 700m remaining, but stumbled after his foot unclipped before recovering and lunging for victory. August crossed the line in second place, doing enough to secure overall victory at the Czech Tour.

The result capped a successful week for August, who claimed two stage victories across the four-stage race and finished at the top of the GC.