Tour '26, Stage 14: Becoming King

Still fighting with each other to claim the Maillot a Pois, it is again Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) outsprinting Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) over the summit of the Ballon d'Alsace.  The pair were followed by Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) and the rest of the eight-man breakaway.  With just one more climb in today's stage Paret-Peintre is the virtual Maillot a Pois, but the final climb is very close to the end of the stage.  He will need to still be off the front which may be tough if the guys fighting for a better position on the general classification attack on the way up the Col du Haag.  However, he may be wearing it tomorrow regardless assuming Pogacar keeps the lead in the King of the Mountains.  Only time, and climbing, will tell the tale.  Alas, the end of the stage, and Paret-Peintre's legs made it so he now sits second in his quest to own the Maillot a Pois.  Carapaz sits just four points behind him, now in the third ahead of Jonas Vingegaard.

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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

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Tour '26, Stage 13: Over the Summit

I learned today that the Ballon d'Alsace was the first mountain ever climbed in the Tour de France.  It was introduced to the Grand Boucle back in 1905.  We just missed celebrating the 120th anniversary of this climb by a year.  I doubt that was foremost in the mind of Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) as he led the breakaway over the summit of the Category One climb.  Pidcock is known as an incredible descender so he may have wanted to be the first to start down the other side of the mountain.  He was followed in turn by Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula) and Plapp's teammate Mauro Schmid.  The next two over the summit were the two Frenchmen Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) and Kevin Vauquelin (Netcompany-Ineos).  As they crested the Ballon, the peloton was back down the mountain almost eight-and-a-half minutes behind.  At this point Pidcock has moved into second place virtually.  I suspect that the peloton will start chasing under the impetuous of those teams whose leaders are losing their places in the general classification. 

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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Over the Summit TdF26-89" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour '26, Stage 13: The Next to Go

With the peloton out of the equation, the breakaway set about trying to shed the dead weight on the climb of the Ballon d'Alsace.  After multiple attacks, each counter by another, all of the sprinters and many of the domestiques were already off the back.  As they neared the summit, Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula) was the next to have a go.  He got clear of Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) whom no one else seemed willing to help in the chase.  Pidcock was marked by Kevin Vauquelin (Netcompany-Ineso), Maim Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), and the other four guys left off the front of the splintering breakaway.

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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "The Next to Go TdF26-88" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →   

Tour de France 23, Stage 20: Launched by His Team

Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) set out at the start of the stage with just one goal, to secure the Maillot a Pois.  He was led to the top of the first climb, the Ballon d'Alsace, by none other than Mads Pedersen and it was Mattias Skjelmose who took him to the line.  As he went over in first place, he was followed in turn by both teammates, with Skjelmose taking second and Pedersen taking third.  Dylan Van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma) in his Dutch Champion's jersey just watched them get on with it.  He had a more important job to do.  He was on the front to look after his leaders Maillot Jaune.  Ciccone will need to go first over the first four climbs of the day to put the King of the Mountains title out of anyone else's reach.  His closest competitor, Felix Gall (Ag2r-Citroen) wasn't in the early break, so it is unlikely he will put up any resistance.  And the other, is Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) who is far more concerned with making sure he keeps his Maillot Jaune to bother with sprinting for KOM points.

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.

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Tour Femmes '22, Stage 8: Catching the Front Group

I found a new chance to create a title that can be interpreted two ways.  First the press photographer has gotten off the back of his motorcycle to catch a shot of the front group while his driver waits to take him to the next photo-op.  And second, the American Krista Doebel-Hickok (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) has just come across to join the tail of the front group and the wheel of Yara Kastlijn (Plantur-Pura).  The group was on the penultimate climb of the day, the Tour in fact, the Ballon d'Alsace.  Would this be the group that would leave the peloton behind getting to the line first?  I'm sure they all planned that to be so.

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, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

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Tour, Stage 6: Sprinting to the Top

I got the focus sorted, and apparently, Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) got Natnael Berhane (Cofidis) sorted as well.  As these guys sprinted off of the front of the break on the Ballon d'Alsace, it was Wellens over first followed by Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), Berhane and the next closest guy on KOM points, Xandro Meurisse (Wanty Gobert).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube

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