The Art of Cycling

Sunday, July 12, 2026

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?

Purchase this painting here: "Can They Stay Away? TdF26-63" (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: 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.

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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Tour '26, Stage 9: What Are They Up To?

It is beyond me why Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) has his team chasing on the front. Seriously, why are Felix Grosschartner, Brandon McNulty, Adam Yates and Isaac Del Toro buring energy on chasing down a breakaway when the best placed member is almost ten minutes behind him? Is he setting himself or one of his teammates up for a stage win? Or perhaps he wants his team to take over the lead in the team competition. I guess the critics while begin complaining that the team is too greedy again. Just in case Pogacar makes a move, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) is keeping close to his main rival. All of the other GC guys are in this group, just out of my sight for this painting. The peloton has all of the leaders' jerseys, including the Maillot Jaune, the Maillot Blanc, and the Maillot a Pois that we can see now. But Mads Pedersen in his Maillot Vert is the only sprinter still in the peloton. Admittedly, he has been dangling a bit everytime the road goes up.

Purchase this painting here: "What Are They Up To? TdF26-61" (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: Keeping an Eye on the Break

I like it when I can use a title that can convey two different meanings, both of which are going on here. First, we can see the TV Moto cameraman keeping the camera's eye on the break (yes, clearly there is another TV Moto in front of the group, too) and, second, the peloton is keeping a close metaphorical eye on the break. The UAE Team Emirates led peloton isn't letting this group get any sizable advantage today. Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) opting for white shorts to go with his USA Champion jersey and his teammate Canadian Derek Gee-West are in a group along with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5), Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarche) and a couple of others only have built up and advantage of a minute-and-a half. Neither I nor the team of commentators can work out why the peloton are keeping the break so close. The highest placed member of the break is just shy of ten minutes behind the lead held by Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates.

Purchase this painting here: "Keeping an Eye on the Break TdF26-60" (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: Tete de la Course

The translation of the title is "head of the race." At sixty-nine kilometers to go, Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) was in a small breakaway with a twenty-four second gap to the peloton. Alaphilippe is not having the best of Tours, so it was nice to see him at the right end of the race today. He and his teammate, Marco Haller, are on one of two teams that are wearing a black kit, not the best color for the hottest day of the Tour's history. Three of the other hottest days in history are also from this, the 113th, Tour de France. That may be why Alaphilippe is pouring his water bottle onto his teammates back. At this point they are joined by Michel Hessman (Movistar), Dorian Godon (Netcompany-Ineos) and Xabier Mikel Zaparren (Pinarello-Q36.5). I should point out that shortly after I painted this, the group was chased down and absorbed by the peloton. It was the last time I saw the idol of the French cycling fans today.

Purchase this painting here: "Tete de la Course TdF26-59" (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: On, No You Don't!

The intermediate sprints have become hotly contested this Tour. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) has been sprinting it out against Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) anytime the peloton arrives intact at any of the in-stage sprints. It seems like the two have fought to an even split thus far. As far as the final sprint goes either Pedersen is winning the fight being the only one to win a stage (of the two). Or one could argue that it goes to Girmay since he has placed consistently higher the first eight stages of the race. Ultimately, Pedersen is the one in the Green Sprinter's Jersey... not Girmay.

Purchase this painting here: "Oh, No You Don't!" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Saturday, July 11, 2026

Tour '26, Stage 8: Two in a Row!

Once the peloton had caught the lone escapee remaining, it was eyes down for the sprint. Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) came from a long way back to claim his second stage victory in a row in Bergerac. It was looking like Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) was about to get his first stage at the Tour de France in two years until Merlier came from seemingly nowhere. On his wheel was Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM) who was hoping he would be the sprinter to win two stages in the 113th Tour de France. Tomorrow, we go back to the hills, so I expect it won't be a day for these pure sprinters. Will it be the breakaway that succeeds or will it be a GC day?

Purchase this painting here: "Two in a Row! TdF26-57" (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 8: Inside of Two Kilometers

After going under the two kilometers banner Liam Stock (Lotto-Intermarche) looked back to see the peloton rounding the corner a mere ten seconds behind him. The conventional theory is that the breakaway needs a minute's advantage for every ten kilometers left to race. By that formula, Stock is right on the very edge of being able to make it to the finish line in Bergerac before being caught by the peloton. Even before he got to the final kilometer flame rouge, he knew the catch was nigh and sat up in surrender to the inevitable. The catch translates to him having been off the front for 179 kilometers of an 180-kilometer stage.

Purchase this painting here: "Inside of Two Kilometers TdF26-56" (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 8: Holding Off the Peloton

Liam Stock (Lotto-Intermarche) had been attacked on the climb of the Cote du Buissen de Cadovia. He countered and dropped his attacker over the summit. Once he was free of his erstwhile companions he decided to see if he could get the surprise on the sprint team led peloton. At seventeen kilometers to race he still had a minute and twenty-one seconds on those behind. Of course, those off the front tend to have quite a caravan of race official vehicles, his team car, and a neutral service car as well. With over a minute to the chasers all these vehicles were still allowed to be behind the leader on the stage. Once it drops below a minute, everyone except a neutral service moto and perhaps a TV moto are allowed in the gap.

Purchase this painting here: "Holding Off the Peloton TdF26-55" (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 →