Tour Stage 9: Blowing Kisses

Tony Martin (OPQS) had more than enough time to savor his victory, coming to the line alone, almost three minutes ahead of a large group containing most of the break away that he had left behind on the Grand Ballon.  The solo victory brought a second stage victory to the Omega Pharma Quickstep team, that has had to rethink its entire Tour having lost their fast man, Mark Cavendish on the opening day of racing in Harrogate. Martin was the man for such a long solo run being the World Time Trial Champion for the third straight year.  It is astounding to realize that he not only stayed away from everyone else on the course, he gained time on every charging group behind him. He may well have been hiding tears and then covering by blowing kisses to the crowd.  One of those amongst the other 17 given the same time was Tony Gallopin who had started the day just under two and a half minutes behind Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and his teammate Jakob Fuglsang.  When Nibali crossed the line six minutes after the Frenchman Gallopin, the Lotto-Belisol rider confirmed that all of his effort had won him the Maillot Jaune to wear on the biggest of French Holidays.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  It will also be included in my soon to be self published book, "Book de Tour" a collection of the 101st Tour de France through the eyes of this artist.  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy and to discover how to get involved in bringing this Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2402098---199992/Painting.html#.U8NI9M_D_IU