Tour, Stage 19: Trying to Help

With the rain starting to fall on the Tour again, the roads were going to be very slick.  The arrival of the rain couldn't have been more poorly timed.  Just as the leaders started down the back side of the Montee de Bisanne the rains turned the newly surfaced sections of road way into what felt like an ice rink.  Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) went first and then was joined by Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac).  Rolland had a hard crash early in the Tour.  He was just coming back into form in the last two days.  So it was particularly sad to see him lose both wheels on a sharp corner on the descent.  After hitting the road hard, he slid about twenty feet across the asphalt and then into the gravel and dirt on the side of the road.  A photographer jumped out of the way and then checked on the leader of Cannondale-Drapac, before backing away to get the shot.  Fans quickly came to their countryman's aide.  Rolland got up, got back on his bike and road on towards the final climb of the day.  I should note that he finished the stage and as of this evening, he is still in the Tour.   If a racer does not finish a stage, they can not start the next day.  Their Tour is over.  So these hard men on two wheels are very reluctant to not get up and going again.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  While you are on the site, be sure to check out my other works of art and my two cycling books.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Bear in mind that this is a one of a kind original and once it is gone, it is gone.

Be sure to check out my second cycling art book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships, available online or through your local book seller.

To buy this painting, follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2827770-139-224974/PaintingTrying%20to%20Help%20TdF140-Greig-Leach.html#.V5K7vLgrLIU