Tour '26, Stage 17: Without Disaster

I guess I should start with the title.  Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has a nickname that he hates.  He is oft times called "Jasper Disaster."  He has a tendency to crash in sprints.  To be fair, that does seem to no longer be a thing.  Although, he has not been able to put together a successful sprint for a stage victory this Tour, until now.  He had to work hard in the early phase of the stage to stay with the peloton, most of his sprint rivals were dropped, fought back, and then stayed with the peloton when they let the breakaway go.  Philipsen stayed with the break and was there to fight for the stage.  He was delivered perfectly by his teammate Mathieu Van Der Poel (who has won a stage already).  Then he had the power to drop all of the others trying to win today.  Behind him it was Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) from an early painting. In third was Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM), the only other pure sprinter in the finale. Behind the podium were Lewis Adkey (NSN Cycling), Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling), Clement Russo (Groupama FDJ-United), Huub Artz (Lotto-Intermarche) and in eighth was Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek).  Despite Philipsen getting the maximum points in the sprint finale, Pedersen's placing means he holds onto the Maillot Vert.  With the mountains to come, he most likely will hold it into Paris.  He will need to add to his total before the intermediate sprint on the Champs Elysees on Sunday.  Given the new final stage's climbs up Montmartre, it makes for a very different final sprint of the Tour.

As you have seen, I normally include all of scene, but sometimes less is more.  Therefore, as I worked on this, I realized all I needed to convey the story of the final sprint of Stage 17 was the riders, and nothing else.

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: "Without Disaster TdF26-127" (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 '26, Stage 17: Attacking Near 4 K

I was confused why Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike) was helping chase down the six-man breakaway.  Now I understand.  His teammate, the American, Matteo Jorgenson attacked on a final roller inside of the four-kilometer banner.  When he went only two guys could go with him.  Not really visible are Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) and Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) finding shelter behind the broad shoulders of the American.  Dropping of but still off the front is the former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Netcompany-Ineos).  Being a fan of Jorgenson, I was hoping this would stick, but the sprinters wanted their final chance.  Well, the sprinters that were still in the vastly reduced peloton.

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: "Attacking Near 4 K Tdf26-126" (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 '26, Stage 17: What He Worked For

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) had gotten into breaks, been dropped, got back in, got dropped and yet, he got back in one more time.  All of it was for this moment.  He was off the front with a group of five other guys, none of whom factored into the race for the Maillot Vert.  As he opened up his sprint into Colombe he was concerned that Edward Planckaert (Alpecin-Premier Tech) might try and come around.  I should point out that Planckaert is on the team of Jasper Philipsen who sits second in the race for the sprinter's jersey.  Panckaert tried to come around Pedersen to prevent him from getting maximum points in this intermediate sprint.  He didn't have the legs.  Behind these two, the rest were taking advantage of the leaders' speed as they were there for a stage victory in another twenty-seven kilometers.  Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) keeps fighting for a stage.  He is followed by Michal Kwiatkowski (Netcompany-Ineos), Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-Quick Step) and Felix Engelhardt (Jayco-Alula).  All of these guys were there fighting for stage honors at the end of the day, 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: "What He Worked For TdF26-125" (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 '26, Stage 17: Suffering Together

Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) had dropped off the back of the peloton not long after the grupetto had caught back on.  He seemed to be sick.  He was certainly suffering.  After a chat with his team car that ended with him shaking his head and riding off.  Earlier in the stage as the TV Moto went by Anders Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) he had made the gesture of cutting his throat, the universal symbol of "I'm dead."  He was eventually joined off the back by Yates.  The two rode along together until UAE Team Emirates sent Tim Wellens back to help make sure that these two made it to the finish inside of the time limit.  They did come in all together twenty-six minutes after the stage winner, there was one guy a few minutes behind them, but all were in well within the time limit of thirty-nine minutes.

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: "Suffering Together TdF26-124" (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 '26, Stage 17: Chasing Along the Valley Road

The peloton started the day in the Vouge mountains but left them behind about halfway through the stage.  The early climbs blew the peloton apart before they reached the valley roads.  This trio of Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula), Aaron Gate (XDS-Astana) and Huub Artz (Lotto-Intermarche) were stuck between the lead group hoping to close forty-nine seconds with the peloton three-and-a-half minutes further back.  Despite a constant changing series of attacks and make-up of the peloton it seems that the highly placed on the general classification are happy (finally) with who is off the front.  They did eventually catch 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.

Purchase this painting here: "Chasing Along the Valley Road TdF26-123" (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 '26, Stage 17: Not Amused!

Dorian Godon (Netcompany-Ineos) was very annoyed with the driver of the Shimano Neutral Service car when they passed on the inside of a corner.  It is understood that the cyclists always gets dibs to all of the roadway during the race.  Who amongst us cyclists haven't made this gesture at a driver who has just done something stupid that endangered us?  Godon and his companion Anders Skaarseth (Uno X-Mobility) were off the back of the peloton trying to get back to the peloton.  The duo did eventually get back on, and got there 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: "Not Amused! TdF26-122" (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 '26, Stage 16 ITT: Simply the Best

Starting second from the last, the reigning World Champion and Olympic Champion in the individual time trial discipline was Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) on a brilliant ride.  As he went through the second time check he was a minute faster than the guy who had the best time at the finish line... until Evenepoel got there.  He was on such a ride that he put twenty-eight seconds into the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar!  That means that he has gotten the better of the race leader for two stages in a row.  He has now gotten thirty-two seconds closer, but he still has four-and-a-half minutes before he will pull on the yellow jersey.  I don't see that happening, do you?  It was a great result for his team who saw their second best place rider, Florian Lipowitz, crash out of the Tour with the same injury in much the same circumstances that forced Jonas Vingegaard to leave 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.

Purchase this painting here: "Simply the Best TdF26-121" (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 '26, Stage 16 ITT: Making a Bee Line for the Finish!

Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) was setting an amazing pace around the course on the French side of Lake Geneva! He set new best times at each time check out on course.  He was still building speed through the straight flat roads towards the end of the twenty-six-kilometer course making a bee line for the finish in Thonon les Bains.  He was the new best time when he finished as well.  However, he dropped to third by the time the last guy crossed the line.  Still, it was a brilliant ride for the Dane and helped keep his team in the lead of the team race.  I was surprised that while Lidl-Trek still had their yellow bib numbers of team leaders, they had opted for white helmets today.  I guess no one had gotten them new yellow aero helmets for the individual time trial.

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: "Making a Bee Line to the Finish! TdF26-120" (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 '26, Stage 16 ITT: A Fan Favorite

Perhaps I should have titled this one, "The Fan Favorite."  Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) is the young French rider who has all of France hoping that they are seeing the next Frenchman to win their home three-week Tour.  It has been forty-one years since a Frenchman has finished the Tour in the Maillot Jaune.  That is a long time to wait.  I imagine that Seixas' grandfather was a young man the last time the French won their race.  It was expected that he would struggle with the individual time trial but that was not the case today.  He finished the race of truth gaining time on everyone except the guys in first and second places in the general classification.  He also gained back five seconds on Isaac Del Toro in the race for the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider in the Tour de France.  He is definitely the youngest and he is showing that he is also one of the best regardless of age.  How many of the young boys on the side of the road will one day race in the Tour 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: "A Fan Favorite TdF26-119" (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 '26, Stage 16 ITT: First Goes Last

With an individual time trial the best placed rider in the general classification starts last, with the lowest placed rider going first.  Naturally, the order continues up through the classification.  It gives Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) the extra advantage of knowing the times of all of his competitors as he races the twenty-six kilometers down to the coast of Lake Geneva. While he may have known the times he needed to best his legs weren't able to deliver the speed required.  For the second stage in a row he took second place to the same person (I'll reveal who later).  Before any of his fans panic, he does have a five-minute buffer between himself and the next best rider in the general classification.

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: "First Goes Last TdF26-118" (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 →