Paris Roubaix '26: Time to Celebrate

When it came down to just Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the finale on the velodrome it seemed likely it would be Van Aert to take the two-up sprint to win this edition of Paris Roubaix.  After all, Van Aert has won the sprint finale on the Champs Elysees of the Tour de France.  He has been seeking the victory on the velodrome of Roubaix his whole career, so it was now surprise that he broke down in tears after holding off the man many consider the best bike racer of all time.  I'm still in the camp of Eddy Merxyk personally. It should be noted that Pogacar has only competed twice in Paris Roubaix and has taken second place both times.

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.  

"Time to Celebrate PR26-9" (Original art by Greig Leach) - This painting has sold!

Paris Roubaix '26: Stuck Together

Despite each having tried their best to drop the other, Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) were unable to get free.  As they raced through Sector 3, Gruson, they still had twenty-six seconds over the small group behind.  With just over fourteen kilometers to race, it seemed a bit unlikely that it would be anyone other than these two who would compete to win the next Cobble Stone trophy since the inception one hundred and thirty years ago.

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.  

"Stuck Together PR26-8" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '26: How Soon?

Unable to hold onto the wheels of the two leaders, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) spent a long time caught between them and those chasing behind.  With forty-nine kilometers to race he was twenty seconds off the pace and only seven seconds ahead of the Mathieu Van Der Poel led chasers.  He felt them coming as he started looking back to see just how long it may be before he could get some extra help in his (and their) attempt to get back to the front of the race.

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. 

"How Soon? PR26-7" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '26: Any Way You Can

Sector 11 is one of the 5-star sectors of pave. Five stars are the hardest sections. Many take the risk of riding in the dirt and gravel on the side of the cobbles.  In this chase Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) had misjudged a corner trying to go up inside of Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike).  The move ended up with him in the grass just missing some fans who were fortunately paying attention to the race.  His error gave Van Aert a chance to open a bit of a gap, but once righted, Pogacar regained the Belgium's wheel.  The two were now increasing their advantage over the rest of the field.  At this point they had twenty-five seconds over those behind with just another 51 kilometers left to race.

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. 

"Any Way You Can PR26-6" (Original art by Greig Leach) - This painting has sold!

 

Paris Roubaix '26: Closer and Closer

After his trials in the Forest of Arenberg, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) was forced to chase hard and mainly on his own in hopes of regaining the front of the race.  Forty kilometers after the forest he had seventy-seven seconds helped occasionally by Flippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers).  They were followed by the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe teammates, Gianni Vermeersch and Tim Van Dijke along with someone from TotalEnergies.  The others seemed either unable or unwilling to help in the effort of recatching those 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. 

"Closer and Closer PR26-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '26: Tough Time in the Forest

The Trouvee d'Arenberg claims the hopes of many in their goal to win (or even finish) Paris Roubaix.  So it seems for Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech).  He was with a teammate who passed him his bike, but apparently, they road different pedals so Van Der Poel was unable to pedal that bike.  Meanwhile another teammate had switched out his own good wheel onto the defending champion's bike, but it seemed that didn't work either.  By the time he was reached by his team car and mechanic he was now two minutes behind the front of the race.  He does have 92 kilometers to chase back, but those are not mere mortals that are up the road.  Of course, he isn't a mere mortal either.

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. 

"Tough Time in the Forest PR26-4" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '26: Forced to Chase

After he got back onto his own bike, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) set about the arduous task of chasing down the leaders on the road.  In the eighteen kilometers since he had his mechanical he has pulled himself within nineteen seconds as he bumped across another pave sector.  Behind him Max Walscheid (Lidl-Trek), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) and Rasmus Pedersen (Decathlon CMA CGM) were thrilled to have such a strong rider to help pull them along.  Will they still be on his wheel when he rejoins the front of the race?

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. 

"Forced to Chase PR26-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '26: Saved by Shimano

With this team car way back behind the peloton, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) took a spare bike from the Shimano Neutral Service.  While not ideal, it sure beat waiting minutes to get his spare off of his team car.  Naturally, the neutral service bike wasn't set perfectly like his own spare, so once his team car can reach him, he will be changing bikes again.  With another 120 kilometers to race, he can hope that his bad luck got out of the way early (unlike 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.

"Saved by Shimano PR26-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '26: Bringing Wout Back

It is said of Paris Roubaix, "it isn't a question of if you will have bad luck, it is only a question of when."  Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) had an early mechanical and was paced back to the peloton by his teammate Christophe Laporte with another 147 kilometers to race.  Clearly, he has plenty of time to get back on, but it is never good to have to use energy chasing that you are going to need at the end of the day.  Alexis Renard (Cofidis) was thrilled to have a strong duo to pull him back to the peloton over one of the early cobbled sectors.

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.

"Bringing Wout Back PR26-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix Femmes '26: Beating the Odds

It was the German Champion, Franziska Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ), who was able to outsprint the veteran Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) to become the next Queen of Paris Roubaix!  She was able to outsprint the Visma duo with both intelligent riding and a strong finishing sprint, thus beating the odds of winning against a pair of teammates.  Chapeau! Or should I say Gluckwunsch!

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.

"Beating the Odds PRF26-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)