Today did not go as planned for Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost), it went a whole lot better! It was cleared that he and the team thought he would only be able to gain points on the first two climbs of the day, but instead the peloton decided that they were only going to race for stage honors. That meant that he was able to go over the top of every climb on the stage first, thanks in part to an agreement with his break away companion, Laurent Pichon (Arkea-Samsic). Pichon didn't vie for the climbs, and Powless didn't vie for the intermediate sprint. Once over this climb, Powless sat up to save energy on the rest of the way to the finish. Pichon carried on thus earning himself the most agressive rider of the stage prize. You'll notice that Powless' bib number is a pale yellow, that denotes that he won that prize for his efforts in Stage 2.
All along the roads of the three stages in the Spanish Basque countryside, the fans have been out in droves. They made sure they were there to see the Tour over the last climb in Spain in droves. Seemingly, every single person had their own Basque flag.
This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.
