Tour Femmes '26, Stage 4 ITT: Speeding into Dijon

Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) was making an incredibly fast descent back into Dijon chasing her chance for the stage, and to be the next wearer of the Maillot Jaune.  She was the second to last woman to start the time trial so she had the time splits she needed to better.  She finished the stage in third, which was enough to move her into second place in the general classification just fourteen seconds off the lead.  With the time splits in the top ten means that everyone will have to race every stage rather than waiting to the big mountain top finish up Mont Ventoux on Friday.

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: "Speeding into Dijon TdFF26-24" (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 Femmes '26, Stage 4 ITT: Sprinting for Seconds

As Marlen Reusser (Movistar) came up the finishing straight she came up out of the saddle to sprint to the line in hopes of taking the stage in the discipline that she is the World Champion of.  It worked she finished just four seconds ahead of the woman who had been in the hot seat for most of the day, Leike Nooijen (Visma-Lease a Bike).  But she did more than win the stage, she is the new Maillot Jaune, the leader of the Tour de France Femmes.  And that she holds by fourteen seconds over the woman she out rode by seventeen seconds.  

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 for Seconds TdFF26-23" (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 4 ITT: A Bit Shaky

Resplendent in yellow, Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Uno X-Mobility) is a bit unsteady as she prepares to start her time trial.  It was a good metaphor for her day in the Maillot Jaune.  She started with over two minutes on the women nearest her on the general classification.  Alas, she finished the day over three minutes behind the stage winner, and the woman who will wear this jersey tomorrow.  Still, she remains in the top four just under a minute behind the others.  While I am sure she would have preferred to stay in yellow she is still within striking distance to take it back.  Conversely, I doubt the peloton will dare to let her get away from them 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: "A Bit Shaky TdFF26-22" (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 4 ITT: Keeping Focused

Before the start of her turn to go, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) was so very focused she didn't seem to even see the butterfly that was sitting on her knee.  She held a fixed glazed that seemed to say just how ready she was to take the Tour de France Femmes in hand.  That focused remained as she rode the course not seeming to see the beauty of the French landscape of castles and vineyards all around her.  Alas, her day did not go as she hoped.  She finished 34th on the day dropping over two minutes to her main competitors.  It is going to be a lot tougher to defend her win of the Tour from last year.

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: "Keeping Focused TdFF26-21" (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 4 ITT: A Day Out

It was an intense day out on the bike for all of the Tour de France Femmes peloton racing the individual time trial.  Anna Van Der Breggan (SD Worx-Protime) road pass that family on the side of the road on her way to a fourteenth place on the day.  I was struck by the father and son paying close attention to everyone as the sped pass.  It looked to me as if the kid was trying to sketch the riders as the flew by.  Naturally, that made me smile.  On the other hand, it seems the other child was considerably less interested.  So it goes.

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: "A Day Out TdFF26-20" (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 4 ITT: Catching Her Teammate

During the individual time trial riders start at one-minute intervals until the top twenty riders, then it shifts to two minutes.  When Alice Towers (EF Education-Oatly) looked behind her, she saw her teammate in her Luxembourg Champion's jersey Nina Berton.  Having ridden one time trial in my life, I can tell you it is very demoralizing to be caught by the person who started behind you.  Since it was her teammate, I doubt she was that surprised.  Breton finished in ninth place but move much further down the rankings on the stage as those that started later set better and better times as the day wore on.

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: "Catching Her Teammate TdFF26-19" (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 3: Leading Her Own Cheers

As she came into the finishing straight, Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Uno X-Mobility) encouraged the crowd to cheer her as she rode alone to victory in Stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes.  She had held off the only real chase mounted by Lotte Kopecky who came within ten seconds of catching the Norwegian Champion.  But in the final kilometers she stretched her lead back out to almost a minute and a half by the end of the stage.  With this victory, she also claims the second Maillot Jaune of this the fifth Tour Femmes.  She holds that jersey by just barely over two minutes over the woman who started the day in second place, Kim Le Court-Pienaar.   She went eighty-eight kilometers alone, and a one hundred and thirteen kilometers ahead of the peloton.  It was only a hundred and fifty-seven-kilometer stage!  It is definitely the longest breakaway for victory in the Tour de France Femmes, but it is most likely the longest in the modern history of the Tour de France Hommes, 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: "Leading Her Own Cheers TdFF26-18" (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 3: Watching Each Other

After attacking each other on the final climb of the day, this group of favorites sat up and looked to each other.  Amongst the group are the new Maillot a Pois, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) on the rear of the group with Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon/SRAM) along with Kim Le Court-Piemaar (AG Insurance-Soudal).  It was Le Court who started the aggression but once covered seemed to decide to fight another day.  Towards the front is the defending Tour de France Femmes champion, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) and her teammate Femke De Vries amongst others.  They did sit up and let the rest of the peloton catch them.  In addition, they never caught the two up the road leaving the Visma-Lease a Bike duo's teammate Marianne Vos to sprint for third place on 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: "Watching Each Other TdFF26-17" (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 3: Time to Chase

I'm not sure why it took so long, but with thirty-eight kilometers to race, the peloton finally started to chase the two women up the road.  With the increase in pace, the peloton stretched out into a fast single-file line with those at the back wondering what happened.  Paula Ostiz (Movistar) popped off the back just after I painted this.  Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) - who had won a stage so beautifully last year - hung onto the wheel of Laura Ascencio (Ma Petite Entreprise) with Malwina Mul (Cofidis) and Emilie Morier (St Michel-Home Preference-Auber93) hanging onto the wheels in front of them. Everyone but Ostiz finished with the peloton, but none ever caught the two up the road.

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: "Time to Chase TdFF26-16" (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 3: Stuck in the Middle

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) jumped free of the peloton with fifty-eight kilometers to go.  She was after the lone leader who was four minutes ahead when she attacked.  With another forty-five kilometers to race she had closed to within a minute and thirteen seconds behind.  She narrowed that gap to thirteen seconds in the closing kilometers of the stage.  However, she never got to the leader.  In fact, while she finished second on the stage, she was a minute and twenty-four seconds behind the stage victor. 

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: "Stuck in the Middle TdFF26-15" (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 →