Tour Femmes '26, Stage 1: She Will Still Be Queen

Despite being outsprinted to the top of the Cote de Vullieres by Nikola Noskova (Cofidis) Oceane Mahe (Ma Petite Entreprise) will be the first Queen of the Mountains of the fifth Tour de France Femmes.  She had gone over the first two climbs of the day first, so with this second place she has a lead that no one can overtake today.  Shortly after the climb, she sat up and drifted back to the chasing peloton.  She finished the day almost six minutes behind the winner of the stage, but it matters little since she will start the day tomorrow in the Maillot a Pois of the best climber thus far in this Tour de France Femmes.  Noskova sits third in the Queen of the Mountains competition after one stage completed.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "She Will Still Be Queen TdFF26-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

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Tour Femmes '26, Stage 1: Poursuivante

With forty-three kilometers until they were all back in Lusanne, Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) was slowly chasing down the four women up the road.  She has about another minute-and-a-half before she joins the quartet with only the Shimano Neutral Service moto to keep her company.  It took her a while, but she did finally join up with the leaders.  With her strength, will they have more hope of keeping away from the peloton until the finale.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Poursuivante TdFF26-4" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 1: Not Much Interest

The title is a bit misleading, there were thousands of fans along the side of the road, and at the intermediate sprint point in Villenuve.  What I am referring to is that the peloton didn't have much interest in competing for the remaining sprint points on offer.  When Charlotte Kool (Fenix-Premier Tech) jumped free of the group, no one went after her.  That may have been a mistake, she could well be on a campaign to win the Maillot Vert of the best sprinter and this was a chance to earn points towards that goal.  The finale has a rather steep climb in the final two kilometers, probably not her best chance to earn points in the sprint for stage honors.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Not Much Interest TdFF26-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 1: Down into the Valley

The course out through the countryside around Lusanne, Switzerland was just breathtakingly beautiful.  I doubt the quartet of Idora Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi), Nikola Noskova (Cofidis), Maud Rijnbeek (VolkerWessels), and Oceane Mahe (Ma Petite Enterprise) had much time to soak in the vistas as they built their advantage over the peloton.  With eighty-five kilometers yet to race, they have built up and a lead of almost five minutes on the confident peloton.  They were claiming all of the Queen of the Mountain points out on course, and managed to suck up the sprint points as well.  Would they be able to hold off the peloton up the final rise to the finish?

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Down into the Vallery TdFF26-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →    

Tour Femmes 26, Stage 1: Minor Adjustments

At the end of the men's Tour de France, I realized that I had neither seen nor painted a mechanic hanging out of the car adjusting something on their rider's equipment.  Today in the early kilometers of the Tour de France Femmes, I saw the EF Education-Oatly mechanic leaning out to of the window to fix Cedrine Kerboal's race radio.  That is when I learned through Anthony McCrossan that it is no longer permitted for safety reasons.  That is a rule I can agree with, but apparently, not EF's mechanic nor Director Sportif.  I guess they won't mind paying the fine they are sure to face either.  It did save time, and Kerboal was swiftly back into the peloton.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Minor Adjustments TdFF26-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →    

Tour '26, Stage 21: Finishing It Off!

Amazingly, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) found the legs after chasing Tadej Pogacar to hold off the fast-closing peloton in the finally six hundred meters of the Tour de France.  As he did the sprinter's bike throw he looked to his right to see his teammate Jasper Philipsen celebrating.  At first, I thought that Philipsen had outsprinted his teammate, but no, he was celebrating MDVP's stage victory on the Champs Elysees.  That means that their team went first and second in the final stage of the 113th Tour de France.  It was the Maillot Vert taking third on the stage.  Mads Pedersen gave up five points to Philipsen, but it was hardly enough points to change the final destination of the sprinters' jersey. Behind it was Biniam Girmay, Olav Kooij, Max Kanter, and Anthony Turgis with the less than successful sprints.  Nevertheless, it is no small feat to have made it over the alps and three times over the climb up Montmartre to even be in the top ten on the stage.

This is the last painting of this year's Tour de France.  I will have six days off and then I will be back with the Tour de France Femmes.  I hope you will read along with the women's race, too.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Finishing It Off! TdF26-164" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →    

Tour '26, Stage 21: Desperately Close

The change in the lap up to Montmartre meant that there was a longer flatter stretch of road before the return to the Champs Elysees.  That gave the sprinters and their teams the opportunity to chase down anyone that got away on the narrow climb up to the summit of Butte Montmartre.  So it was for Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) as they made the final curve towards the line on the Champs Elysees.  Without any true need other than pride, Pogacar sat up once the chasers caught his wheel.  Tadej finished thirtieth on the stage but is still very much the winner of the Tour de France for the fifth time.  He is only the fifth to officially achieve that milestone.  Van Der Poel had a very different finish on the Champs Elysees than that of the Maillot Jaune.  The group that had chase these two down included all of the big-name sprinters that have gotten themselves over the alps just for this moment.  Lining up to fight it out for stage honors in Paris are Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Mattieu's teammate Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM) amongst others.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Desperately Close TdF26-163" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →    

Tour '26, Stage 21: Bell Lap

I love some of the holdovers that persist in the Tour de France.  The bell lap is more that just a name meaning the final lap.  It is literally the lap that is announced by a bell.  Over the heads of the peloton is a big electronic board counting down the laps, but this bell is still wrung by hand to announce just one more lap to go in the final stage of this the 113th Tour de France.  The peloton is lead through by Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) setting the pace for his teammate in yellow, Tadej Pogacar.  Lined up behind are the Lidl-Trek teammates of Mads Pedersen making sure they keep him in the right place for the final ascent of Montmartre.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Bell Lap TdF26-162" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour '26, Stage 21: Up Montmartre

 It was an incredible narrow cobbled climb to the summit of the Butte Montmartre.  So narrow that the only people on the streets were the gendarmes making sure no one else but those watching out of the windows above were on the side of the street.  On the second time up the climb Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) on his left shoulder, and no one else is even in sight behind.  I have walked these streets.  In fact, I got to visit a group of artist studios just around the corner from here.  Today, all of the artists had to surrender their areas on the square in the shadow of Sacre Coeur to the throngs awaiting the arrival of the leaders of the race.  I don't know if you can tell, but the guy leaning out the window is still wearing his waiter apron from the restaurant downstairs.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Up Montmartre TdF26-161" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →  

Tour '26, Stage 21: Who Is with Me?

Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) looks back on the way down from the summit of Montmartre to find that Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is leading the chase.  On the wheel of the Maillot Jaune is Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-Quick Step), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and Micheal Matthews (Jayco-Alula).  The group joined together in hopes of holding of the next group behind.  As they returned to the circle around the l'Arc Triomphe, they were almost all together again.  Now it was down, around the Place de la Concorde and back up the other side of the Champs Elysees.  I imagine that they will be all together just to start the climb again.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Who Is with Me? TdF26-160" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →