The EF Education-Aevolo rider made his winning attack inside the final kilometer to cap an excellent day of racing for the team in Charleston, West Virginia, with all four team members finishing inside the top 12.

“To win is amazing, and I’m really excited that I can now show up at a race and wear the national champion’s jersey. This year, we’ve been at some incredible races, but I’ve not had the chance to race any U23 events, so now I can show up with the flag on my chest and throw down. This is also a great win for EF Education-Aevolo. We worked super hard today and supported each other, so bringing the jersey home again is a special feeling,” Gavin said after his win.

EF Education-Aevolo started with a team of five, with Hlady joined on the start line by Colby Simmons, Ian López, and Noah Streif. After an early break formed, the team set about controlling the race and following key moves.

“The climbs were hard enough to thin out the peloton, and we had four riders in the front seven over the last climb,” Gavin said.

“We let the right guys go at the start and then slowly started reeling them in, and even after we had that good split and bunch came back, we were still working well together,” he added.

Colby Simmons also attacked, and his move helped whittle down the bunch even further before the EF Education-Aevolo rider was finally caught with around 5km to go. From there, the team kept up the pressure with attack after attack.

“We trusted ourselves, and Ian attacked pretty much where I made my move last year. He was chased down right away, but when it came back, I went all-in, and they started to look at each other,” said Gavin, who crossed the line three seconds clear of the field.

For Head Sports Director Mike Creed, the victory was another milestone in the team’s inaugural season. The nature of the win stood out for Mike, with every rider playing their part in bringing home the jersey.

“It’s a second win in a row for Gavin, which is a special moment in his career. We came into the race with pressure on our shoulders as the defending champions, but the team embraced that position and took on the challenge. Nationals can always be a bit of a lottery, but we stuck together,” Mike said after the race.

“For Gavin, it shows that he’s one of the best U23 riders around. Colby has already made that jump to WorldTour, and all the riders were up there today and worked for the team. It’s a super pleasing moment for everyone at EF Education-Aevolo.”