Tour '26, Stage 6: Taking a Bow, a Stage & a Yellow Jersey

Wow, that was impressive!  Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) went on the attack with five more kilometers to climb up the Tourmalet.  He then rode alone for the next forty-five kilometers alone, increasing his lead on both the descent and the climb up to the finish in Gauarnie-Gedre.  He finished two minutes and thirty-eight seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, just shy of three minutes ahead of his own teammate Isaac Del Toro who with a group of seven many of whom are the other favorites for a high placing in the 113th Tour de France.  The last guy to finish the stage (there were a couple who climbed off during the stage) was over forty-five minutes behind Tadej's finishing time.  Fortunately for Lewis Askey (NSN Cycling) he was still inside of the time limit for the stage.  Now the question remains, will the Maillot Jaune changed shoulders any more throughout this Tour?  Unlikely.

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: "Taking a Bow, a Stage, & a Yellow Jersey TdF26-46" (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 '26, Stage 6: Even the Devil Is a Fan

This is the second time I was able to see Didi Stenft (aka The Devil) at this Tour.  And it is the second day I've noticed that he was standing on something to get a better view of the race as it goes by.  Time was he would leap high in the air, but perhaps age is finally catching up to this wonderful fixture of the Tour de France.  After all, I have been painting him since I started painting the Grand Boucle back in 2012. Clearly, he is fourteen years older than when I first spied him on the side of the road leaping with the joy of the Tour.  He cheered enthusiastically as Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) flew by on his way to a very decisive stage victory.  Is it the move that will win him his fifth Tour de France?  Only time... and fifteen more stages will tell.

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: "Even the Devil Is a Fan TdF26-45" (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 '26, Stage 6: The Race for Third

With Tadej Pogacar up the road about to win the stage and Jonas Vingegaard in between this sextet was racing for third place on the stage.  They may also be racing for third place in the Tour de France as well.  Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was using his time trial prowess in hopes of pulling those two back.  He may have been riding for himself or, perhaps, for his teammate Florian Lipowitz.  Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) was riding in case they do catch Vingegaard.  Should they, he would be ready to bury himself for his team leader.  Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) and Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) were riding to minimize their disadvantage to Pogacar and Vingegaard.  Just out of frame is Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) who was the one who managed third on the stage, and now sits third on the general classification as well.

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: "The Race for Third TdF26-44" (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 6: Not Giving Up

Having been dropped by the peloton on the way up Col du Tourmalet, Torstein Traeen (Uno X-Mobility) was seconds away from losing his Maillot Jaune as he sped down the other side of the mountain.  As he approached a hard left turn, he overlapped his teammate's rear wheel in went down head-over-heals.  He struggled to get back up, but eventual got to the upright and to the side of the road.  He was checked out by the doctors and was cleared to ride on.  No one wants to go out of the race while in the Maillot Jaune.  He took his time but did finally get back on the bike and rode on to the end of the stage escorted by the very teammate who he ran into before crashing.  He rolled across the finish almost a half-hour after the stage winner with his teammate Anders Johannessen.  Clearly, he won't start tomorrow in yellow. The question remains will he be able to start stage 7 at all?

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 Giving Up TdF26-44" (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 6: By How Much?

Not long after the attacked, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) went off on his own.  As he neared the summit of the Col du Tourmalet, he looked back to see just how much of a gap he had on his rivals back down the mountain.  Between the distance and the throngs of fans lining every inch of the road, he couldn't see any of his chasers.  At this point he had twenty seconds on Jonas Vingegaard and a minute on Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who has teamed up with Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA-CGM).  The title of this painting is the question of the Tour.  It seems clear that he will win the stage, and perhaps the Tour, the only question is by how many minutes by the time we all reach Paris? 

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: "By How Much? TdF26-43" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold, but there are digital on demand prints available.

 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 6: Creating Some Space

With another five kilometers to climb up the Tourmalet, Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) up the pace with his teammate Tadej Pogacar on his wheel.  The two champions opened up a bit of a gap on Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and the youngster Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM).  Pogacar has had his team on the front for the last fifty kilometers and now it was time to try and drop everyone else and go off the front.  Would the Dane be able to regain his composure and get back to his main rival's wheel?  I think you already know the answer.

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: "Creating Some Space TdF26-42" (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 6: Dangling

As the peloton climbed the fabled Tourmalet the Maillot Jaune on the shoulders of Torstein Traeen (Uno X-Mobility) was dangling dangerously near the tail-end of the group.  You can see Anders Johannessen, looking back to check on his yellow clad teammate.  He wasn't the only one struggling he was on the wheels of Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal-Quick Step) and Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarche) and riding shoulder to shoulder with Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies).  While we were watching him at the back his Director Sportif, Thor Hushovd, he finally lost contact.  He does almost eight minutes or more on all of the favorites of the Tour, so he has some time to set matters to rights.

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: "Dangling TdF26-41" (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 6: Sprinting Over the Aspin

Having caught, and dropped, the lone attacker Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) and Lenny Martinez (Bahrian-Victorious) sprinted for the ten King of the Mountain points over the summit of the Col d'Aspin.  Martinez won the sprint by a tire width.  He was hoping to build points towards wearing the Maillot a Pois like he did when the Tour came over this same climb last year.  Should he manage to go over the next two climbs in first, he will accomplish that goal.  He didn't, but he now sits in third behind the two big names in contemporary cycling, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard.  No shame in trailing those two.

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: "Sprinting Over the Aspin TdF26-40" (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 6: Struggling on the Aspin

The King of the Mountains in his full polka-dot kit found the climb of the Col d'Aspin a bit too much.  As Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) continued to scale the Category 1 climb he could see the peloton beginning to slip away.  With the peloton the Maillot a Pois that he held for three days was also slipping away from his grasp.  The peloton was under the control of UAE Team Emirates and their pace was destroying the peloton on the way up the climb.  

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: "Struggling Up the Aspin TdF26-39" (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 6: Not Really a Sprint

The stage started with just a two-man breakaway.  It was comprised of Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). Each were off the front for very different reasons.  Pedersen was there to collect the maximum number of sprint points in hopes of adding to his advantage in the competition for the Maillot Vert.  Yes, he has it now, but to carry it to Paris one has to grab points whenever possible.  Campenaerts was there if the break goes in order to be a satellite rider for his team leader Jonas Vingegaard.  A satellite rider is off the front to be an ally to his team leader late into the stage.  Unfortunately, the two were caught by the peloton prior to climbing the Cote de Mauvezin a category three climb prior to the two big Pyrenean mountains facing all of the Tour later in the stage.

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 Really a Sprint TdF26-38" (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 →