Tour Stage 16: Fighting All the Way

The hard attacks and the hard climb up the Port de Bales, but quite a few riders into jeopardy.  With Alejandro Valverde pulling the Yellow Jersey along with the FDJ duo of Thibaut Pinot and Arnold Jeannesson up and over the final climb many found their placings on the GC slipping away.  Pinot and Romain Bardet (AG2R) have been battling for the White Jersey of best young rider, starting the day separated by just 16 seconds.  With Pinot already a minute ahead on the road, Bardet fought with the mountain and his bike in hopes of being able to pull back the time on the way down the other side.  Pinot is not the descender that Bardet is.  Bardet had used the final descent on stage 15 to put time into his young countryman, and clung to the thought that he could do it again.  All of the struggling riders were enthusiastically encouraged by the flag waving, screaming photo taking fans that lined the top of the Haute Catagorie, all the more for the young Frenchman.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting and all of my 101st Tour de France artwork will be included in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about my book project, to pre order your copy, or to learn more about helping to bring the art of cycling to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some great rewards for Backers including an artist signed copy of the book, original art, and some other treasures.  Reward levels start at just $5 USD and everyone who pledges at any amount will have their name included on the Special Thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But don't you want a copy of the book, too?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406738---199992/Painting.html#.U871KM_D_IU