Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 6: She Wants Green Back

Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) hasn't made it a secret that she wants to win the Maillot Vert this year.  She wore it for two days and then lost it in the true sprint stages in Belgium.  Today, she went into the early break for this moment.  She jumped clear of the break to take the maximum points in the intermediate sprint in Sancey.  With this win she pulled even with Charlotte Kool.  Vos will need to score at least one point at the end of the stage to take over the sprinter's jersey.  Spoiler, she took second on the stage, but she had to work hard for it.  Behind her the former wearer of the Maillot Blanc of best young rider Anniina Ahtosalo pushed the veteran Vos but wasn't able to stay on her wheel when they got to the line.  Ahtosalo is the current national champion of Finland thus the white jersey with the big blue cross.

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 work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"She Wants Green Back TdFF24-27" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 4: Sprinting in Green

Charlotte Kool (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) continued to show just how strong of a sprinter she is this year.  Already in the sprinters' Maillot Vert, she outsprinted both Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) - again! - and Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) to take the maximum points still available at the intermediate sprint in Pepinster.  Further back, Anniina Ahtusalo (Uno X-Mobility) in her Maillot Blanc decided against spending the extra energy for just a couple of points more or less.  Despite that decision, she dropped out of the best young rider's jersey given who won today's stage.  And the fact that she came in almost seventeen minutes after the stage winner didn't help her quest to stay in white.  On the other hand she did move into fifth in the race for the Maillot Vert.

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 work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Sprinting in Green TdFF24-17" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 1: Clearly Her's

You've got a love a stage that doesn't go as expected.  Everyone was sure that it would be the lead-out of SD Worx-Protime that would deliver Lorena Wiebes to the line for the win and the first Maillot Jaune of this Tour de France Femmes.  But, no, that isn't how it happened, in fact, she finished 41st in the opening stage.  Instead, it was Charlotte Kool (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) winning by a clear margin to claim the first leader's jersey of this Tour de France Femmes.  Taking second is the Finnish champion, Anniina Ahtosalo (Uno X-Mobility) which was enough for her to claim the Maillot Blanc of best young rider.  Kool also claimed the Maillot Vert, but that will be worn at the start tomorrow by Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike).

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 work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Clearly Her's TdFF24-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)