Tour Stage 16: Derrier de la Course

Life at the back of the peloton can be tough, it is often the place for the walking wounded, or in this case the riding wounded.  Ji Cheng (Giant Shimano) drops off the peloton to visit the race doctor in search of the magic spray that will keep him going.  With all of the ban substances, to prevent performance enhancing doping, it is difficult to manage pain, pain most often from tendonitis.  Cheng has been the man driving the front of the peloton for Giant Shimano and then disappearing after he has left all of his energy on the road.  He is joined at the back by the heartbreak kid, Jack Bauer (Garmin Sharp). Having but so many kilometers into the break on the way into Nimes, he just was still too exhausted from that effort to be able to hold the wheels of the fast disappearing peloton.  With 21 stages over a 23 day period, riders have to be careful to not over do it one day for fear of having nothing left for the next.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  The painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published art book of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become involved in bringing this most unpredictable Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous incentives to encourage you to back the project starting a just $5 USD, and every backer, regardless of the amount pledge, will have their name in print on the Special Thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post, but wouldn't you like to have a copy of "Book de Tour" as well?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406648-120-114-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U87iHM_D_IU