For the first time, a Tour of California stage both started and finished in San Luis Obispo county. Riders started on the Pismo Beach pier and when Wednesday’s stage four ended beachside in Avila Beach, Peter Sagan held off challengers in an uphill sprint to win the stage.

The atmosphere was festive in both south county beach cities, though the attendance at both was somewhat less than either of the previous two years, when the cities hosted a stage start and finish respectively.

One spectator-friendly aspect of both Avila and Pismo was a bike valet, which I used at both locations after riding my own bicycle in.

Photos by Owen Main