Tour '26, Stage 10: Winning Alone

So the French will have to wait another year for one of their countrymen to win the stage on Bastille Day.  Today, it went to a Slovenian by the name of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). He jumped cleared of the lone breakaway riders at the summit of the previous climb and then rode the final fourteen kilometers on his own.  That does seem to be his style.  More importantly he increased his lead over the rest of the field by thirty seconds or more.  It is beginning to be confirmed that he will wear the Maillot Jaune all of the way to Paris.  There are still eleven stages yet to race, and anything can happen, but he can be defensive for the rest of the Tour and make it near impossible for anyone to gain three-and-a-half minutes or more on this super Slovenia cyclist.  No bow to the crowd for this stage, just a "oh snap" gesture after point skyward and to his team's name on his kit.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 10: Off He Goes

Despite having a minute's advantage on the way up the Col de Pertus, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was caught before the summit of the climb by a flying Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). The Maillot Jaune must have been 'sandbagging' the peloton, or he was holding back to help his teammate Isaac Del Toro.  Once he went, Del Toro popped off the back of the group losing time and his Maillot Blanc.  Back in the peloton Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) was hanging tough taking third on the stage (not bad for a Frenchman on Bastille Day).  It was Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who had been dropped fighting back to take second.  Sadly, Jonas Vingegaard finished the day in fourth ceding another minute to Pogacar.

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: "Anticipating TdF26-70" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 10: Anticipating

On the last Category One climb of the day, Tadej Pogacar and his UAE Team Emirates dropped off the front of the reduced peloton.  It led us all to wonder if he was having a rough day.  It was three years ago here that he fell apart and Jonas Vingegaard went on to win the stage (and the Tour). That history may be why Davide Piganzoli (Visma-Lease a Bike) went to the front with Vingegaard on his wheel.  Both Remeco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and his teammate (team rival) pulled up alongside Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) and Isaac Del Toro, his teammate wearing the Miallot Blanc. Mixing in with the leaders on the Col du Pertus was Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek).  All were anticipating an attack from the other.  Is Tadej actually cracking or is he taking a play out of Lance Armstrongs playbook and feinting his condition before going on the attack.  The peloton will know soon since we are just two-and-a-half kilometers from the summit.   Remember, there is one guy a minute up the road, 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: "Anticipating TdF26-70" (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 10: Flying Down the Other Side

Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) jumped out of the peloton on the way up the Puy Mary.  He built up a minute on the group of favorites as he went over the top of the climb at the Pas de Peyol.  Carapaz continued to add to his advantage in the rather scary descent down the other side of the volcano.  Would he be able to take this advantage to the finale in just twenty-six kilometers?  It really depends on what happens between the main GC rivals now a minute behind the former Colombian champion,  

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 Last Guy TdF26-68" (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 10: The Last Guy

The day was marked by multiple attempts to form a breakaway all inspired by the Frenchmen in the peloton.  The French always hope to win on Bastille Day, but it wasn't in the cards or in their legs today.  The last guy from the breakaway was the Spaniard Javier Romo riding for the Spanish team Movistar.  That didn't stop the French fans from waving their flags and cheering on the lone rider as he started down the Cote de Murat.  I should point out that a French man was able to claim third on the stage, Paul Seixas, who is continuing to live up to all of the faith the French public has put in the 19 year old.

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 Last Guy TdF26-68" (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 10: The Devil Awaits

It was a bit odd to see Didi Senft (aka The Devil) out alone on the side of the road.  NBC/Universal did a story that feature Didi long before the peloton got to him.  He was set up to cheer the Tour at roughly 42 kilometers to go.  I am glad I painted this one, since the race coverage didn't pick up this icon of the Tour on the side of the road.  Apparently, he has been going to the race as the Devil for 33 years now.  Now that is some serious devotion to the Grand Boucle.

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 Devil Awaits TdF26-67" (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 10: So Close

Max Kanter (XDS-Astana) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) were at it again in the intermediate sprint early on in Stage 10 of the Tour de France.  It looked like it would go the way of Kanter, in fact, it looked like he sat up just before the line.  Pedersen, never one to give up, kept going and did the classic sprinter's bike throw to win the maximum points by a photo finish at the line in Lacapelle de Fraisse.  This win will increase his lead over those who hope to pull on the Maillot Vert themselves.

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: "So Close TdF26-66" (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 9: Winning from the Front

Not only did Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) win from the front group, he was also forced to start his sprint from the front of the four-man breakaway that just made it to the line.  The foursome that included Van Der Poel, Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility), Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), risked everything by slowing down, each trying to get the other to jump first.  In a post-race interview, Pidcock said his only hope of outsprint Van Der Poel was to get him to start his sprint too early, so they all waited as the peloton charged up behind them.  It was MVDP who went first, but he had the legs to outsprint them all.  The only one who even got close was Johannessen, claiming second for the second time in this Tour de France.  As I wrote in the previous post, Pidcock claimed that his gears failed again, making it impossible for him to mount a successful sprint.  I didn't see it, but I don't know.  They played with fire, the peloton lead by Flippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) came home just six seconds behind Van Der Poel.  

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: "Winning from the Front TdF26-64" (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 9: Can They Stay Away?

This quartet only had forty-seven seconds on the peloton with another fourteen kilometers left to Ussel.  Conventional wisdom says that they don't have enough of a gap to stay away from the chasing peloton, but that doesn't take into account the quality of these four guys.  Now that his gears are funtioning, Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) was doing his part to pull his companions along.  Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) will pull next followed in turn by the powerhouse of the group, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech).  It is the erstwhile Maillot a Pois, Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) who is slipping to the back to get a bit of a breather having done his turn on the front.  Are we going to be treated to a successful breakaway or will it be heartbreak like yesterday's 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: "Can They Stay Away? TdF26-63" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 9: Badly Timed Mechanical

Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) had fought to get into the break, then to get up to the escapees from the break.  After going over the Cote de la Croix du Pey first, he had the unfortune of having his electronic gearing fail.  He was stuck in his climbing gears as he tried to fly down the other side of the climb with his breakaway companions.  After gesticulating furiously and kicking his derailleur, he kept on spinning his legs in hopes of staying close while he awaited his team car.  Surprisingly, his gears suddenly started working again.  Perhaps his battery had been loose, and he kicked it back into connection.  Or after beating them senseless, the gears decided they best behave.  I will say that he claims that they failed again in the final sprint to the line.  More about that later.

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: "Badly Timed Mechanical TdF26-62" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Learn More About the Artist →