Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Going Again

Juliette Labous (DSM-firmenich) had tried twice to escape from the others on the Col du Tourmalet.  That didn't mean she wasn't going to try one more time to slip away from Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar), and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step).  She was hoping they would be to busy watching each other to see her attack from the back of the group.  Alas, they weren't letting anyone else get away from them on the climb of the Tourmalet.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968943-187-297438/Painting/going-again-tdff23-43.html

 

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 7: Attacking on the Col d'Aspin

Just because everyone knows you are going to do something at a certain point, it doesn't mean they are going to be able to keep it from succeeding.  Once the last of her teammates had rolled off the front Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) launched her attack on the Col d'Aspin.  Most had figured she wouldn't wait until the final climb, so it was expected.  At first the only two that could go with the acceleration were Katarzyn Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step).  Trying to catch on, but not quite making the jump was Juliette Labous (DSM-firmenich).  This was looking like what would determine the final destination of the Maillot Jaune for the second edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.  But there is about nine kilometers to climb on this category one climb and then it will be up to the top of the Haute Catagorie Col du Tourmalet.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968940-184-297438/Painting/attacking-on-the-col-daspin-tdff23-40.html

 

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: Seconds Matter

With two riders up the road there was just one more time bonus of two seconds still available as this trio broke free of the peloton of favorites.  Ashleigh Moolman-Passio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) sprinted for the seconds despite Liane Lippert (Movistar) trying to grab the bonus in defense of her teammate Annemeik Van Vleutin.  Also vying for the bonus is Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime).  Moolman-Pasio got there first (well third actually) moving her into second place just two seconds ahead of three others and just over a minute ahead of Vollering.  She is still trailing the Maillot Jaune by forty-nine seconds.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968190-171-297438/Painting/seconds-matter-tdff23-27.html

 

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 5: You Wouldn't

Yesterday, Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) lost her lead in the Queen of the Mountains competition to Anouska Koster (Uno-X).  However, she could consul herself with winning both the title of most combative rider of the stage, and more importantly, her first professional victory.  I suspect that is a fair trade off for most.  Apparently, not for her.  She went over the first climb first as her rival for the polka dots struggled to hold onto the back of the peloton.  As they neared the summit of the Cote de Laquepie she looked over at Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) to see if she was going to contest for the points on offer in a couple of hundred meters.  Spratt shook her head.  She was looking for stage honors and had no reason to contest the sprint for points.  Nevertheless, Kastelijn took no chances and sprinted away to reclaim her Maillot a Pois.  Behind her, still wearing the Maillot Vert on loan from the race leader in yellow, Asheigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) just watches in case someone launches an attack to get away from the peloton.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3968160-170-297438/Painting/you-wouldnt-tdff23-26.html

 

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 3: Sprint Points

As in every stage with the exception of the time trial, there are sprint points to be had out on course.  Today they maximum points had been taken by the lone woman in the break away just shy of two minutes earlier.  As the peloton got to Badefols, it was Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) coming out of the group outsprinting both the current wearer of the Maillot Vert, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) and her teammate in the Maillot Jaune (who is the owner of the Green Jersey, too) Lotte Kopecky.  With this move she pulls a few points closer to wearing the Maillot Vert either on loan or outright.  It does all depend on who finishes where when we get to Montignac Lascaux in just over twenty-six kilometers.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967643-158-297438/Painting/sprint-points-tdff23-14.html

 

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 2: Attacking Yellow

I was amused that the woman in the middle, Lotte Kopecky (Jumbo-Visma), is the one who owns all three of the jerseys in this painting, but she is in the Maillot Jaune, those in second place in the other two competitions wear the Maillot a Pois and the Maillot Vert.  I doubt Kopecky will own all three at the end of the day.  Particularly if the attack by Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) sticks.  All of them were sloshing through the wet roads, but at least now the sun had come out.  Perhaps it would for her as well.  If not Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) was ready to jump both of them and go for the win in a mere three kilometers time herself.  With a small climb up to the finish it was going to take some strong legs to pull this one off.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967573-154-297438/Painting/attacking-yellow-tdff23-10.html

 

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 1: Attacking on the Climb

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) used the only categorized climb of the day to get a gap on the rest of the peloton.  Behind her Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step), Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez) and Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) all must have assumed that the Belgium champion was just going for the Queen of the Mountain points and let her go.  That should have seemed like a bad idea.  Kopecky is known for going on long solo raids for victories and this was only another sixteen and a half kilometers to race for the first Maillot Jaune of the Tour de France Femmes.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3967215-141-297438/Painting/attacking-on-the-final-climb-tdff23-3.html

 

Fleche Wallone 23, Women’s Race: Stuck in the Middle

Try as they might, Ricardo Bavernfeind (Canyon-SRAM), Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) and Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) weren’t not able to catch the lone leader, Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo).  With 47 seconds to Spratt, they had the peloton closing in on them, just another 24 seconds back.  They seemed to be stuck there in the middle, neither gaining on the one ahead, nor losing time to the peloton behind.  At this point they were about to climb the penultimate cote of the day.  They weren’t giving up, but success seemed less likely with each pedal revolution.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3946399-539-195767/Painting/stuck-in-the-middle-fwf23-3.html

Flèche-Wallone 23, Women’s Race: Getting a Gap

On the second time up the fabled Mur de Huy, this trio of the World Champion, Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar), Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insrance-Quick Step) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) were able to open up a gap on the rest of the peloton.  Just behind them Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) struggles to join the move.  As they went over the top of the climb Borghini was able to join them as they built up a gap on the way down the other side of the ‘wall.’  

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3946368-537-195767/Painting/getting-a-gap-fwf23-1.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes 23: Caught by the Peloton

This trio of Susanne Anderson (Uno-X), Marjolein Van ‘T Geloof (Human Powered Health) and Romy Kasper (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) had been off the front for virtually all of Paris Roubaix Femmes, but with just ten kilometers left to race, they found themselves being caught by the remnants of the peloton of race favorites.  Kasper had spent some time off the front on her own, but it may have been too much energy spent.  Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3944965-526-195767/Painting/caught-by-the-peloton-prf23-6.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes 23: Down in Front!

As this chase group of 16 got close to the early break away on Pave Sector 9, the Pont Thibaut, last year’s winner, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) lost control of her bike on the muddy cobbles.  As she went down the rest of the group either went down with her or were caught behind the twisted pile of bikes and bodies.  Somehow, only Romy Kasper (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) manage to stay upright.  She was able to push on as Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and her teammate in the WWT points jersey fell over the former Italian champion.  As I said in an early post, Paris Roubaix can have a way of changing riders’ fortunes in a blink of an eye.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3944955-524-195767/Painting/down-in-front-prf23-4.html