The Art of Cycling: July 2021

Monday, July 26, 2021

Olympics 2020, Gold the Hard Way

Falling to the ground and gasping for air, Anna Kisenhofer (Austria) had given everything she had to hold off the peloton from the very beginning of the 137 kilometer Women's Olympic Road Race. Her efforts were hardly in vain. She is now the new Gold Medalist in the Women's Road Race. As she laid on the ground Annamiek Van Vleutin (Netherlands) came across the line waving her arms in apparent victory. She had not realized that one rider remained up the road when the other two from the break had been caught. So it goes when there are no race radios in the riders ears. Not that a silver medal in the Olympics isn't a special thing too. Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) took the Bronze for the second Olympics running.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826279-16-291661/Painting/gold-the-hard-way-o21-16.html

Olympics 2020, Bronze and Silver on the Road

Omer Shapira (Israel) and Anna Plichta (Poland) may have lost the wheel of the Austrian, Anna Kisenhofer, but they still were a minute or two ahead of the peloton with just six kilometers left to race. Should they be able to stay away, they will be fighting for Silver and Bronze medals between them. That is a big IF however.

Alas, they were caught finishing 24th and 27th respectfully. Yet, everyone knows that they were at the Olympics and were very competitive on the road. After all, they weren't caught until inside of the final two kilometers of the day.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826267-15-291661/Painting/bronze-and-silver-on-the-road-o21-15.html

Olympics 2020, There May Be a Medal in It

With just three women up the road, Juliette Labous (France) jumped clear of the peloton with hopes of bridging across the the last of the early break away. She has just 17 kilometers to catch at least one of the three and she will be in a Olympic medal winning position. Instead she was chased down by the peloton shortly before they also caught two of the remaining three up the road. She had clearly given the effort everything she had because once caught she couldn't hold the tail of the peloton. She finished her day in 30th three and a half minutes behind the time of the Gold Medal.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826263-14-291661/Painting/there-may-be-a-metal-in-it-o21-14.html

Olympics 2020, On Her Own with 5 Minutes

I am intriqued by the camera apparatus hanging from the back of the car ahead of the last remaining member of the early break of the day. Anna Kisenhofer (Austria) had a five minute gap on the main peloton with just forty kilometers to race. The usual rule of thumb is that the rider off the front needs a minute lead for every ten kilometers left to the line for the break to have a chance of succeeding. So it was looking like she has a chance to win the gold medal unless she tires to quickly in the kilometer left to the finishing straight of the Fuji Raceway. Without race radios, she may have a chance of the peloton not getting their chase of her timed out right.

I am also impressed that most everytime I can see the roadway in both road races there is virtually always bike lanes or a completely seperate bike roadway.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826262-13-291661/Painting/on-her-own-with-5-minutes-o21-13.html

Olympics 2021, Yet Again!

The Dutch were on a very aggressive ride today. Each would go on an attack only to be caught by the peloton. But as soon as one was caught another would go. I think this was the third time Annemiek Van Vleutin (Netherlands) had escaped the clutches of the peloton. This one looked like it might be the move that left the peloton for the rest of the race. She was eventually caught again. I was cheering for her success in hopes that she could erase the disaster that befell her in the Rio Games five years ago. While on a lone break for the line, she fell on the final descent and broke her back. To see her riding again at all is a true show of determination, yet being in a possible winning move at the next Olympics is simply amazing. Spoiler alert. She was caught, yet manage to sprint for what she thought was the Gold Medal. She hadn't realized there was still one rider up the road, but does take home the Silver.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826239-12-291661/Painting/yet-again-o21-12.html

Olympics 2020, Trying to Stay Cool

This foursome off the front of the peloton by over five kilometers was doing everything they could to stay cool in the 95 degree heat. Anna Plichta (Poland) pour her water over her neck and back, while Omer Shapira (Israel) reached for bottles from her team car. Both Anna Kiesenhofer (Austria) and Ashliegh Moolman (South Africa) made to with open jerseys and pedaling on towards a dream of an Olympic medal. My wife was very found of this painting. As she put it, you could see the feminity of the rider, leaving now doubt about which Olympic road race this was.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826232-11-291661/Painting/trying-to-stay-cool-o21-11.html

Olympics 2020, Snagging Her Lunch

With another 97 kilometers still to race, it was important to keep eating. The heat made it that much more so, although the cold can make a rider burn even more calories in a race. Anna Plichta (Poland) reached out to grab her musette full of tasty goodies from her soigneur as behind, Anna Kisenhofer (Austria) had to swerve to miss her. Or it may have been that with a bottle in her hand and almost a hundred kilometers in her legs, Kisenhofer wasn't as alert as she should have been in the feed zone. Still, no harm - no foul.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826231-10-291661/Painting/snagging-her-lunch-o21-10.html

Olympics 2021, Showing Their Colors

I think that the kits for Selam Amha (Ethiopia) and Mossana Debesay (Eritrea) are the two best kits in the Olympic peloton. These two went off the front early to show that they were in fact in the Olympics. Each was the sole representative of their country and each went on the attack in the race as a point of honor. They stayed off the front well into the race, and even after being caught and passed by a chase group, they stayed away from the peloton for considerably longer than even they expected. Perhaps they were aided by the egos of the marquee riders back in the peloton who seemed to believe that they could bridge a gap of any size (that didn't include themselves) at will. We saw much the same play out in the men's race just 24 hours earlier.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826229-9-291661/Painting/showing-their-colors-o21-9.html

Olympics, Redemption

Rather than frustration, Richard Carapaz (Ecuador) banged his handlebars in celebration as he claimed the Gold Medal in the Men's Olympic Road Race. Chapeau! He had a frustrating road race in the Tour, so he must have felt a great since of redemption with his convicing victory in the outskirts of Tokyo. It was his nemeis from the Tour, Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) just edging out Wout Van Aerts (Belgium) for Silver, with Van Aerts taking the last step of the podium. McNulty ended the day in sixth, out sprinting a number of others who came to the line in the last shreds of the peloton.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826105-8-291661/Painting/redemption-o21-8.html

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Olympics 2020, All Alone Now

Perhaps Brandon McNulty (USA) had done too much work, or perhaps Richard Carapaz (Ecuador) had been holding a little bit back for the final kilometers. Which ever it was, Carapaz dropped the other American on a small steep rise to go off on his own. Carapaz had left all of those who had plaqued him during the Tour and was on his way to a gold medal in the Olympics by himself.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826104-7-291661/Painting/all-alone-now-o21-7.html

Olympics, The Americans Are Away

I always get frustrated when my fellow citizens of the United States refer to themselves as Americans without realizing that all of the citizens of this hemisphere are Americans. Thus, this title. With just another sixteen and a half kilometers to race, it was Brandon McNulty (USA) and Richard Carapaz (Ecuador) working hard together to stay away from the peloton. The pair had faced off in the Tour, with McNutly working for his teammate and the winner of the Tour, Tadej Pogacar. McNulty was tasked with covering the moves of Carapaz has the former raced to third in the 2021 Tour. Today they were allies in trying to stay away from Pogacar and the rest of the international peloton chasing behind.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826103-6-291661/Painting/the-americans-are-away-o21-6.html

Olympics 2020, Now He Goes!

Jakob Fulgsang (Denmark) realized that the race was going up the road. He jumped clear of the peloton in hopes of bridging up to the two that were off the front. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) didn't have the legs to stay with either the original attack of the move from the Dane. He can be excused, after all it was only a week ago that he won the Tour de France by a very convincing margin.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826102-5-291661/Painting/now-he-goes-o21-5.html

Olympics 2020, The Next to Get Away

This trio that went off the front next was a bit more threatening. All three had just finished some great racing in the Tour de France and were more than ready to take it to the peloton. When they left the peloton on the foothills of Mount Fuji there was no one else up the road. Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) looks back over his shoulder to see what king of a gap he, Brandon McNulty (USA) and Michael Woods (Canada) had generated. With just 37 kilometers left to race of a long, hard day, it was time to get down to the business of winning gold.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826100-4-291661/Painting/the-next-to-get-away-o21-4.html

Olympics 2020: Popping on the Final Climb

With over two hundred kilometers in their legs already, the final climb was taking its toll on many at the back of the peloton. Some, like Jan Polanc (Slovenia) had been working on the front for their team. Others, like Eddie Dunbar (Ireland) had launched an attack and been pulled back by the peloton. And then still others just found the distance and the pace too much like Merhawi Kudus (Eritrea) and the Spanish duo of Alejandro Valverde and Jesus Harrada.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826099-3-291661/Painting/popping-on-the-final-climb-o21-3.html

Olympics 2020, A Strong Move

While the early break was still up the road, in the peloton others were getting antsy to make their move. With 50 kilometers to race it was none other Vincenzo Nibali (Italia) jumping out of the peloton on one of the two major climbs on the course. His attack brought out Remco Evenpoel (Belgium) and Eddie Dunbar (Ireland). Team Belgium had been setting the pace and covering all of the moves all day long. Clearly they thought the day would belong to Wout Van Aerts. After his performance at the end of the Tour de France, their faith in him wasn't misplaced. They were so all in for Van Aerts, that the now former Olympic champion, Greg Van Avermaet, was the guy on the front setting the early place (sacrificing his chances of keeping the gold medal for another Olympics).

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826098-2-291661/Painting/a-strong-move-o21-2.html

Olympics, Taking Them to the Top

I plan on painting the cycling events of the Olympics along with some of the other marquee events. I will post them here, and make them available on my website per ususal.

The day started with the common early break away comprised of a United Nations of cyclist from around the world. For most of these guys, it was the only way the world would know that they had been in the Olympics at all. Better to go out and attack the day then hang in the middle of the peloton only to be kicked out the back when the aggression starts. The early break of five included Polychronis Tzortzkis (Greece), Orlvis Avlar (Venezula), Nic Dlamini (South Africa), the other Sagan - Jurgai (Slovakia) and Michael Kukrle (Czech Repulic). They build up a twenty minute lead on the peloton of starts, before the race behind got rather serious.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826095-1-291661/Painting/taking-them-to-the-top-o21-1.html

Sunday, July 18, 2021

TDF, Stage 21: The First to Congratulate Him

I had not seen a clear view of the finish line when I painted this (so yes, this was painted before the sprint for the line). I was touched by Andre Greipel (Israel Start Up Nation) congratulations of Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) on his surprising victory on the Champs Elysees. I also enjoyed that Greipel was reach to hug the Belgium Champion while Van Aert thought he should reach for the German Sprinter's hand. I have had that moment of familiarity confusion and I am sure you have had it to. I just like that it goes up to famous bike riders too. I wanted to make sure to paint Greipel on his last day of racing the Tour as he announced his retirement at the start of the stage. I'll miss the "Gorilla" and I will miss painting the Tour everyday. But then while Greipel won't be back next year, I will.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824861-145-291436/Painting/the-first-to-congratulate-him-tdf21-144.html

TDF, Stage 21: Wow, That Wasn't Expected

To be fair, I didn't expected it. I doubt that Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick Step) expected to finish third on the Champs Elysees either. I love Cav, and the race that he has had this Tour, but I am not disappointed that my cycling hero's record will stand for at least one more year. One of the NBC Sports broadcasters had pick Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) for the win today while everyone else had gone for Cav. At first I thought that was Michael Matthews (BikeExchange) looking in, but no, it is his lead out man Luka Mezgec who took second on the stage. I was very pleased to see Andre Greipel (Israel Start Up Nation) who claimed fifth on the stage. I had hoped he would surprise everyone and win yet another career stage on the Champs Elysees. He had started the day by announcing that he was retiring at the end of the season, and it would be great to see him go out in style. I can see Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) in this image, but he did show up in the top ten finishers. Without Matthews winning the stage, and Cav taking third, it means that there will be no change in the leader of the sprint competition. Chapeau, Mark! And chapeau to Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) for taking all of the other jerseys in the 2021 Tour de France.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824860-144-291436/Painting/wow-that-wasnt-expected-tdf21-143.html

TDF, Stage 21: Out of the Final Corner

As the peloton rolled around the final corner of the Tour de France, it seemed that Deceuninck-Quick Step's lead out train had been washed away for the first time throughout the entire Tour. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick Step) latched onto the rear wheel of Wout Van Aerts (Jumbo-Visma). Van Aerts still had his lead out man as they prepared for the final dash to the line. I wasn't quite sure who that is in the dark blue beside Van Aerts, nor who is coming up behind in either the red or the pink kit. At this point they were hitting speeds of 50 miles per hour. In about 400 meters we will know who will win the final stage, and if that win will mean a new record for total career stage wins in the Tour.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824859-143-291436/Painting/out-of-the-final-corner-tdf21-142.html

TDF, Stage 21: Leading the Way Up the Champs Elysees

The trio of escapees still had twenty seconds on the peloton. I can't imagine that Deceuninck-Quick Step, the team of Mark Cavendish, was going to let anyone stay away thus spoiling Mark's chances of breaking the record of stage wins in the Tour. Brent Van Moer (Lotto Soudal) has been holding off the peloton for longer than expected earlier in the Tour, and when he teams up with Ide Schelling (Bora-Hansgrohe)and a strong time trialist like Stefan Bisseger (EF Education-Nippo) they weren't going to make it easy to pull them back. It is a long drap up to the l'Arc Triomphe on Champs Elysees partiuclarly after 20 days of racing, and just another 12 kilometers left in this final stage. Still, they seem up to the challenge at hand (or under wheel).

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824857-142-291436/Painting/leading-them-up-the-champs-elysees-tdf21-141.html

TDF, Stage 21: Their Work Is Never Done

Unfortunately, my pen does not have spell check, nor does it catch bad grammar. Clearly, I meant 'their' not 'there.' Somehow I got to the last stage of the Tour without a single painting of a daredevil mechanic leaning way too far out of a team car to effect a bike repair on the fly. Anthony Perez (Cofidis) had a plastic bag stuck in his rear derailleur hanger which was bound to interfere with shifting if not completely lock up the rear wheel. With the peloton going full gas, there wasn't enough time to stop for a repair or bike change, so out the window it was. It worked and Perez was able to quickly catch back onto the rear of the peloton. And the mechanic still had all of his fingers. It really does take a full team to compete successfully in the Tour.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824856-141-291436/Painting/their-work-is-never-done-tdf21-140.html

TDF, Stage 21: A Perfect Rehearsal

I've talk about the superstitions in the theatre community about rehearsals. Today may turn out to be the reverse. With the relocation of the finish line another 300 meters further up the Champs Elysees, Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick Step), who has won four times before on the Champs Elysees, and his team need to rehearse their sprint leadout to the new point. They got it perfect in the intermediate sprint with Cav taking the best of the rest from the peloton. There were still three guys up the road. His leadout man took second keeping Michael Matthews (BikeExchange) from gaining any points in the race for the Maillot Vert. Now, Cavendish will have to not score any points at all for Matthews to have any chance of taking the Maillot Vert off of the Manx Missle. He hasn't bested him yet, so I have no reason to suspect that it will happen in four more laps.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824853-140-291436/Painting/a-perfect-rehearsal-tdf21-139.html

TDF, Stage 21: And Now, We Race!

With all of the tradition having been honored, it was time to race. After the champagne toasts, the winner's team photos, the handshakes, the mugging for the cameras, and the procession onto the Champs Elysees led by the team of the Maillot Juane, it is time to get back to the business of a bike race. The moment that the yellow jersey crossed the line for the first of eight laps, the attacks began. This trio of Harry Sweeny (Lotto Soudal), Stefan Bisseger (EF Education-Nippo) and someone from Bora-Hansgrohe got a bit of seperation as the peloton flew back down the Champs Elysees away from the l'Arc de Triomphe. As Phil Liggett said, "That might be the biggest flag I've ever seen." Normally, their would be a fly over by the French airforce, but they arrived just a bit late. I'll leave the interpretation of that fact to others...

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824849-139-291436/Painting/and-now-we-race-tdf21-138.html

TDF, Stage 21: As a Team

Yes, it is Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) who wins the Tour de France, but it could not have been done without the entire team. And it isn't just the seven other guys on their bikes, but all of the nutritionist, trainers, maseurs, soigneurs, directors, and drivers. So a nod to all of them and to Mikkel Berg, Rui Costa, Davide Formolo, Marc Hirschi, Vegard Stake Laengen, Rafal Majka, and the American Brandon McNulty. Chapeau!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824843-138-291436/Painting/as-a-team-tdf21-137.html

Prints are available, too!

TDF, Stage 21: Giving Autographs

It may not be the first time it has happened while the riders pedal their way to Paris, but this is the first time I've seen autographs being given to other in the peloton. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) produced a marker out of nowhere and signed the Maillot a Pois on the shoulders of Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious). Of course what could have been happening was that Pogacar was claiming his polka dot jersey. After all, Poels sits in second in the competition, the final jersey will be awarded to Pogacar on the Champs Elysees in about another sixty kilometers of racing. I think Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick Step) had never seen this either, and it was cracking him up. Pogacar may have sucked up all of the other jerseys, but the Maillot Vert was Cavendish's and no one was going to be able to take it off his shoulders (unless things really go awry in the finale on the Champs Elysees).

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824840-137-291436/Painting/giving-autographs-tdf21-136.html

Saturday, July 17, 2021

TDF, Stage 20: Losing the Day, Winning the Tour

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) had plenty of time in hand, but I am sure he would have loved to win yet another stage in this Tour. He has already won the first time trial way back on stage 5 in the first week of the 2021 Tour de France. Then he won both mountain top finishes in the Pyrennes, and those wins were back to back. So while he only finshed 8th today, and he conceded thirty seconds to Jonas Vingegaard, he still comes out of the day with a very comfortable lead. It is traditional not to attack the Maillot Jaune on the final day of the Tour, but even if someone does so, he has five minutes on everyone else. It is near impossible to take five minutes on a flat stage if the peloton doesn't want you to. All he has to do is stay upright and somewhere near the winner of the stage and he will have won his second Tour de France in a row. He will also win the Maillot a Pois and the Maillot Blanc. All he left for others is the Maillot Vert, which will just about certainly go to Mark Cavendish. Hopefully, Cav will also surpass Eddy Merckx's record of total stage wins in the Tour de France. Check back tomorrow to see if history is made.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824672-136-291436/Painting/losing-the-day-winning-the-tour-tdf21-135.html

TDF, Stage 20: More Than Enough

Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) started the day just six seconds ahead of Richard Carapaz (Ineos-Grenadiers) in third place. He had placed third in the first time trial so he hit the road with confidence that he would finish the day still in third. He had the extra advantge of starting his time trial two minutes behind Carapaz. This afforded him the opportunity to know what he had already done. By the second time check he was already running thirty seconds faster than Carapaz when all he had to do was not lose more than five seconds. In fact, he was out riding the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar. Unfortunately for Vingegaard the Slovenian had a five and a half minute lead on him. It should be noted that Vingegaard is only second in the Maillot Blanc competition of best young rider in the Tour. It is on loan from Pogacar while he rides around France in yellow.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824669-135-291436/Painting/more-than-enough-tdf21-134.html

TDF, Stage 20: "Out of the Gate"

Deck out from head to toe (well, his socks are white) Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) rolled out of the start gate to defend his lead in the 2021 Tour in the final competitive stage of the Grand Bouclee. It was this stage in last year's edition that he over took the Yellow Jersey of Primoz Roglic. Today he is already in Yellow and he started with over five minutes on the guy in second place. It would take a serious problem for him not to end the day in the lead. With the stage onto the Champs Elysees mainly ceremonial - until it is time to sprint for the win - it is almost impossible that he won't be the winner of the Tour for a second year in a row.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824657-134-291436/Painting/out-of-the-gate-tdf21-133.html

TDF, Stage 20: Concentration

Wout Van Aerts (Jumbo-Visma) had laser focus as he waited to be counted down at his start of the second time trial of the this Tour de France. I admit that part of my desire to paint this was the guy counting down the competitors in the start house. After two weeks of looking a amazingly fit young men riding thousands of miles on their bikes, it was a little jarring to see this pot belly sagging over this belted khakis. I have heard for years about how all of the French are so fit, and it is only the Americans who are fat. This guy and many I have spied on the side of the road belie that narrative. Wout's focus must have worked. He finished his ride with the best time. And it was a time that stood through the rest of the peloton who was yet to ride. He won this time trial, a mountain stage, and came in second on a flat sprint stage (just barely beat out by Mark Cavendish). What can't he do on a bike?

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824556-133-291436/Painting/concentration-tdf21-132.html

TDF,Stage 20: Just Ahead

As Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) went through the second time check he was a quarter of a second faster than Kasper Asgreen. Kung is both the Swiss naitonal champion and the European time trial champion. The European jersey takes pecedence over the national jersey so here he is in a white jersey with blue bands and gold stars. Unfortunately for Kung, he faded a bit over the last six kilometers of the course finishing the day fourth on the stage.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824549-132-291436/Painting/just-ahead-tdf21-131.html

TDF, Stage 20: On a Fast One

One problem for me while painting a time trial live is not knowing if this is who will ultimately win the stage. I don't know the results as I create the work so I have to go on intuition. It is usually a safe bet that a national time trial champion like Kasper Asgreen (Decuninck-Quick Step) - the Danish National Champion - will do well on a time trial stage. Asgreen has been doing a lot of work for his team's sprinter, Mark Cavendish, so it is a bit of a question on how good his legs are this deep into the Tour. As in the previous post, Asgreen had the best time when he finished his race. While he ended up not winning the day, he did take second on the day.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824541-131-291436/Painting/on-a-fast-one-tdf21-130.html

TDF, Stage 20: Flying Around

Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-Nippo) was one of the earlier riders to start the final time trial of this Tour de France. While he may not be very high up on the general classification, he was leading the time checks as he attacked the course today. As he whipped through the town of Montagne towards the second time check he could begin to wonder if the stage would be his. Yes, there are about seventy riders to come after him, but he did log the best time as he crossed the line in Saint Emilion.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824535-130-291436/Painting/flying-around-tdf21-129.html

Friday, July 16, 2021

TDF, Stage 19: He Strikes Again

Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) couldn't believe he won stage 7 of the Tour. But he had stage 19 in hand from twenty kilometers out. His lead was over a minute to the one chaser as he celebrate all of the final kilometer into Liborne. Has he crossed the line he made a gesture of zipping his lips. I was confused until his post race interview. He and his team had been raided by the French police several stages ago, without a search warrant, based on rumors of doping. Nothing was found, and the team cooperated with the search. However, their lawyers are digging into why the raid was carried out. Without a warrant, it would only be a conviction in the press, but for some that might be all they want anyway.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824364-129-291436/Painting/he-strikes-again-tdf21128.html

TDF, Stage 19: Second on the Road

With one guy up the road alone, Casper Pedersen (Team DSM) was the next to get away from the rest of the chase group. With two kilometers to race it was going to be a hard chase to catch up to Mohoric. I admit that part of the reason I painted this one was to make sure I got another painting of someone on Pedersen's team. They haven't been lighting up the Tour. That may be the same reason that he was doing everything he could to go for a stage victory.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824351-128-291436/Painting/second-on-the-road-tdf21-127.html

TDF, Stage 19: An Impressive Effort

After multiple attacks, it was Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) who had the timing and the legs to get away from the reduced break away. The team is having a great tour, and so his Mohoric. He already has one stage win in this Tour and there is every reason to believe he will get another one today. He has forty seconds on the disorganized chase behind, an another minute and a half back to the rest of the early break away. With the peloton over sixteen minutes back, it is his stage to win.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824347-127-291436/Painting/an-impressive-effort-tdf21-126.html

TDF, Stage 19: Attacking the Break

It was a large group of 20 that had left the peloton far behind. The problem for the break away is that is too many to have everyone keep working together all the way to the finish. Just after Phil Liggett and Bob Roll had been discussing who would be the one to go off the front, it was in fact Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) that went off the front as predicted. His attack was chased down by Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Fenix) with Brent Van Moer (Lotto Soudal) and Georg Zimmermann (Intermache-Wanty Gobert) joining in the chase. This attack was neutralized, but now everyone would be trying to get away until it eventually works. With the peloton almost eleven minutes behind, the stage winner was going to be one of these guys in the break. That meant all the more reason to try and get off the front.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824342-126-291436/Painting/attacking-the-break-tdf21-125.html

TDF, Stage 19: Handing Off

The Tour has done a lot to cut down on littering by the peloton, including fining riders for tossing their waterbottles. Although they don't seem to mind riders tossing them at the feet of spectators along the side of the road. The bottles are a treasured souvenir for cycling fans everywhere. The problem comes when a rider is trying to get a fresh bottle but doesn't have any room in his bike's cages for another bottle. I watched a couple riders do what Max Walscheid (Qhubeka-NextHash) is trying to do here. Just off camera a support motorcyle is reaching to take this bottle from him before passing him a fresh one. Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) is watching this move with interest, perhaps preparing to follow suit. The two were on the tail of the early break, or at least the one that got away for good.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824338-125-291436/Painting/handing-off-tdf21-124.html

TDF, Stage 19: He Isn't Here

With six guys already up the road by the time the peloton got to the intermediate sprint in Saint Sever, there wasn't many points left in the competition to wear the Maillot Vert. The long drag up to the sprint suited Cavendish's main competitors, Micheal Matthews (BikeExchange) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrian-Victorious). Matthews looked back over his shoulder to see where everyone was as he went to the line. I think Colbrelli was looking around trying to figure out why they were seeing the leadout for Cav from his team. Matthews' teammate, Luka Mezgec, was on the wheel of the Italian champion ready to jump off after anyone who challenge his guys lead across the sprint point.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824334-124-291436/Painting/he-isnt-here-tdf21-123.html

Thursday, July 15, 2021

TDF, Stage 18: The Race Is Behind Him

Yet again, I get to use a title that has two different meanings. First, clearly the racing is now behind Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) with a unsurmountable lead of over five and a half minutes. And now with this stage win he will also win the Maillot a Pois, and given his age, he is the owner of the Maillot Blanc as well. Just as he did last year. The other race is for second and third in the Tour. As they crossed the line, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) added a few more bonus seconds to his second place ahead of Richard Carapaz (Ineos-Grenadiers). With a flat stage tomorrow all the three of these guys have to do is stay upright and finish near each other. But Saturday, the individual time trial could change some placings, but remember Vingegaard was third in the first TT.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824259-123-291436/Painting/the-race-is-behind-him-tdf21-122.html

TDF, Stage 18: Leaving Everyone Behind

Everyone had been trying to figure out how to attack the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). He did not have to do much of anything on this stage, he has five and a half minutes on those in the distance behind him. But clearly, racing is in his DNA. Much has been said of Mark Cavendish tying the win totals of Eddy Merckx, but this is the guy about to do something Merckx never did. If he stays on his bike until Paris, he will win the Maillot Jaune, the Maillot Blanc, and with this move, the Maillot a Pois for the second year in a row. Merckx never won the Maillot Blanc, I don't think he was young enough to win it when it debut in 1968. But he did win the Maillot Vert (sprinter) the Maillot Jaune and the Maillot a Pois (climber) in one year, 1969.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824255-122-291436/Painting/leaving-everyone-behind-tdf21-121.html

TDF, Stage 18: Allez, Allez, Allez!

Over virtually every kilometer of the Tour de France, the fans along the side of the road yell, "Allez, allez, allez!" Today it must have been Rafal Majka (UAE Team Emirates) yelled to his team leader (and Maillot Jaune), Tadej Pogacar as he came off the wheel of his teammate. Usually, the leader will wait until his last teammate does one final pull and then swings off. Pogacar caught the other GC riders by surprise by going out from behind the wheel of his last domestique. At first the other two domestiques left, Jonathan Castroveijo (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) were able to match the acceleration for their respective team leaders, Richard Carapaz and Jonas Vingegaard. The five opened a bit of a gap on Enric Mas (Movistar) who was trying to defend his position on his own. There are another four kilometers to climb to the final mountain top finish of this Tour de France. So there is plenty of room to fight out the rest of the GC positions. I doubt there is enough road left to unseat Pogacar and his five and a half minute lead on those behind him in GC and on this stretch of road.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824251-121-291436/Painting/allez-allez-allez-tdf21-120.html

TDF, Stage 18: First One Down the Mountain

David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) may not have been the first over the top of the Col du Tourmalet, but he was the first back down the other side. As he flew the town, he showed just how far he was willing to lean his bike over to carry maximum speed through the corners. That might just be why he was the first one off the mountain. Gaudu was hoping to have a big enough gap from the chasing peloton to stay away on the climb up the Luz Ardiden. He wasn caught on the final climb yesterday so he was hoping to do a bit better today.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824250-120-291436/Painting/first-down-the-mountain-tdf21-119.html

TDF, Stage 18: Over They Go

While two guys had already gone over the top of the Tourmalet, it was Wout Poels (Bahrain-Victorious) taking the most points of any of those near him in the quest to wear the Maillot a Pois in Paris. He followed Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education-Nippo) and was in turned followed by Omar Fraille (Astana-Premier Tech). The problem Poels is facing in this stage is the knowledge that the guy in second is Tadej Pogacar, who is leading the race in the Maillot Jaune and will most likely go for the stage win at the top of Luz Ardiden. If he does it will be another 40 KOM points added to his total. Poels will have to finish at least 5th to keep hold of the Polka Dots.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3824249-119-291436/Painting/over-they-go-tdf21-118.html