The Art of Cycling

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Tour '26, Stage 20: Teammates

After a rather silly salute to the crowd while crossing the line together, Tadej Pogacar and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) shared a hug before the throng of press photographers just out of sight to us here. I thought their celebrations were a little odd since they finished fourth and fifth on the stage, but I now realize that they were celebrating the collaboration and their Maillots Juane and Blanc. And of course, they will both finish on the podium in first and third assuming nothing terrible happens on the streets of Paris. It is forecasted to rain for the cobbled finale on both the climb of Montmartre and the Champs Elysees. Let's all hope they and the rest of the peloton all finish safely!

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: "Teammates TdF26-153" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 20: The King Wins, Again

Having stayed upright when the leader had not, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) thumps his chest in victory atop the final mountain top finish of the Tour. In the process he claimed maximum points on every climb of the day but the last one where he went over in second place thus securing the Maillot a Pois. At the start of the Tour he stated that this was his goal. And he achieved it and picked up two stage wins in the process. All he has to do is finish the stage tomorrow in Paris, and he will go out the King of the Mountains.

Purchase this painting here: "The King Wins, Again TdF26-152" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Super Domestique

Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) could not have asked for a better member of the peloton to help him on the final climb of the final mountain stage of the 113th Tour de France! Tadej Pogacar was sacrificing his chance to claim the first ever back-to-back wins atop Alpe d'Huez to make sure that his teammate stayed in third place on the general classification and kept his Maillot Blanc of the best young rider of the Tour. This is not normal activities for the Maillot Jaune, but then I think Pogacar has established that he is not a mere mortal cyclist. I should note that Pogacar's lead is so large that he can afford this generous act despite the guy in second place has gone up the road. In fact, Evenepoel finished second on the stage, but only forty seconds ahead of this jerseyed duo. As long as they both finished the stage tomorrow, they will finish in first and third in Paris wearing their yellow and white jerseys in Paris.

Purchase this painting here: "Super Domestique TdF26-151" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Into the Net

I have always wondered about Phil and Bob crying out when something goes wrong for a rider in the Tour, now I know. I cried out as Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) fought and lost his bike on a fast corner on the loop around the resort town of Alpe d'Huez. Kuss was off the front by over twenty seconds even after hitting the ground through the tunnel under a section of the town. He pressed even harder down the descent in hopes of making up time he lost in the previous fall. He finished this tumble sitting on the cement wall just at the end of the safety net. While he never went into it, thank God (or the ASO) that it was there. As he was on the ground, Richard Carapaz who had been chasing passed by. Kuss got up and gave chase, but never saw the man in the Maillot a Pois again. He still finished third on the stage!

In the post-race interview, Kuss laughed and apologized to his wife and his fans for scaring the hell out of them. He really didn't want to put her through that. And then said, "But, that is racing." I am sure with the luck that Visma has had this Tour, they will hope not to have the bib number "13" on a teammates back next year. The way the numbering works, they won't. That auspicious number will fall to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.

Purchase this painting here: "Into the Net TdF26-150" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 20: The Cream Rises

The top three of the Tour come over the summit of the Col de Sarenne together. To be fair, Lenny Martinez (Bahrian-Victorious) is with them but hidden from view. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) goes over first looking to make sure his teammate Isaac Del Toro is still with them. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) takes the summit to grab another gel and squeeze it into his mouth. There is still another fourteen kilometers left to race after all. The guy sitting in fourth, Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) has dropped off the pace and is losing time to all four. He had started the day just twenty-four seconds behind Del Toro in both the top five and in the race for the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider. It wasn't to be for the very young Frenchman today, but he did hold his position in the classification despite having lost time on the final climb of the Tour.

Purchase this painting here: "The Cream Rises TdF26-149" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Preferring to Climb Alone

Sepp Kuss and his Visma-Lease a Bike team has clearly had a plan all day. And on the Col de Sarenne Sepp launched the final phase. He jumped clear of his remaining breakaway companions and went alone to the summit. The climb was so narrow that the ASO who organize the race had prevented fans from getting on the mountain in order to keep the riders safe. So, I had planned on a bad pun comparing the Sarenne to serene, but it really was a rather serene climb and must have felt great to be free of the noise of the crowds. I love the quiet of being out on my bike all alone, but I am not working anywhere as hard as this American is.

Purchase this painting here: "Preferring to Climb Alone TdF26-148" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Flying Down the Galibier

Attacking, or more accurately, just out riding the rest of the peloton over the summit of the Galibier the top five of the general classification flew back down the other side. With fifty-two kilometers to race the quintet of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) along with his teammate Isaac Del Toro, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CGA CMA), and Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) still had another four-and-a-half minutes to bridge up to the still cohesive breakaway. I have always looked at descent as a reward for all of the struggles climbing a mountain, I'm not so sure about these twisty roads with the sheer drop-offs. But I am willing to give it a try.

Purchase this painting here: "Flying Down the Galibier TdF26-147" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Hanging Tough on the Galibier

As the peloton climbed the Col du Galibier it was good to see Warren Barguil (Picnic-PostNL) and the American Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) still hanging onto the group. With his twin brother up the road, Anders Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) was still here as well. Of course, he and the rest of the peloton were now almost four-and-a-half minutes behind the breakaway with the gap continuing to grow. Conversely, the grupetto was way back down this long mountain climb.

Purchase this painting here: "Hanging Tough on the Galibier TdF26-146" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Staying Topped Up

The young American Matthew Riccitello on the French team Decathlon-CMA CGM, was still in the front group as they climbed the Col du Telegraphe. It seemed that he was up front either for the stage, or as a satellite rider for his even younger teammate Paul Seixas. With another five kilometers to climb, he wisely dropped back to his team car to get a bidon and some gels. I am sure he will shortly be back on the wheel of Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) who is currently riding tail gun in the breakaway. The group has a decent advantage over the peloton with another eighty-eight kilometers in the final mountain stage of the Tour.

Purchase this painting here: "Staying Topped Up TdF26-145" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 20: This Is Mine

It took getting over the HC climb of the Col de Croix de Fer and then chasing down the breakaway, but Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was there to sprint for maximum points at the intermediate sprint in Saint Julien Mont Denis. As he wound up his sprint he looked back at Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) as if daring him to dare to steal a single point from him. With this sprint, he sealed up the race for the Maillot Vert. All he need do is finish this stage and the final stage in Paris and he will have one the sprinter's jersey in all three Grand Tours. On Johannessen's wheel are Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) and his teammate Bruno Armirail clearly having a plan for the day. Another in this leading group was Thymen Arensman (Netcompany-Ineos) hoping to have an even better stage than yesterday. Today is the true final stage of the Tour, although the new circuit in Paris does mean there will be more than just a sprint on the Champs Elysees.

Purchase this painting here: "This Is Mine TdF26-144" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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