Tour '25, Stage 1: At What Cost?

With the next climb looming, Matteo Vercher (TotalEnergies) jumped free of the peloton.  He was chased by Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) who hoped to gain just one more point in his quest to claim the Maillot a Pois of best climber (to date) of the Tour.  The two had been in the early break, but managed to get away the peloton for a second time - a rarity in the modern era of the Tour.  The two traded attacks on the way up the Sainte Marie Cappel.  It looked like it would go to Vercher, but with a final turn of the crank, Thomas got to the line first.  However, as I suspected when I paused the video to paint this, his effort made his rear wheel slide out on the cobblestones and over he went taking Vercher with him.  Depending on how he feels for the rest of the Tour, I guess the cost was worth the prize.  Vercher didn't go unrewarded.  He was named the most aggressive rider of the first stage of the 2025 Tour de France.

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.

"At What Cost? TdF25-4" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 1: Trying to Stay Away

With another 110 kilometers to race it was a bit of a surprise to see the breakaway's advantage drop to just twenty-two seconds.  As the peloton drew close, it was Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) pushed the pace of his breakaway companions Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), Mathis Le Berre (Arkea-B&B Hotels) and Jonas Rutsch (Intermache-Wanty).  There had been a fifth escapee, but he found the pace too much and dropped back into the relative safety of the peloton.  Thomas had grabbed the one king of the mountain points over the first climb.  I am sure he hoped to stay away to vie for the points at the second and/or third climbs of the day.  It didn't look like those behind were going to let that happen.

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.

"Trying to Stay Away TdF25-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 5: Keep It Going!

The early breakaway was still off the front by 28 seconds with just fifteen kilometers left to race.  As the quartet continued to work together, they urged each other on.  You can see Jordan Labrosse (Decathlon-Ag2r-La Mondiale) chatting with Enzo Leijnse (Picnic-PostNL).  Behind Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) and Thibault Guernalec (Arkea-B&B Hotels) are catching their breath before rolling through to the front to continue trying to hold off the slowly closing peloton.  Sadly, they were caught.  The sprinters had missed their chance in Stage 1, and they weren't about to let a breakaway ruin their chance for stage glory.

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.

"Keep It Going! CdD25-27" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '22, Stage15: Last One Away

What started as a defensive move for his teammate is looking like a long looked for stage win for his team.  Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) had dropped his break away companion and was still eight seconds ahead of the peloton with under four kilometers to race.  It was still slim odds that he could get his team's first stage win in fourteen years and the first win for the French in their own Tour.  But no, the gods of the Tour are cruel and he was got within 500 meters of the line.  Instead of the hoped for stage victory, he finished 64th on the day in the second group 24 seconds behind the winner of the stage.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3894275-94-294403/Painting/last-one-away-tdf22-95.html

Tour '22, Stage 15: Is this Worth the Effort?

Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) jumped clear of the peloton on the climb of the Cote des Commazes to grap the King of the Mountain points mainly to help defend his teammate Simon Geschke's lead in the competition for the Maillot a Pois.  Going over the top, he was joined by Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM).  The two built up a 22 second lead on the chasing peloton with just 30 kilometers left to race.  Thomas looked over at Gougeard to ask if he thought this attempt had any real chance of succeeding.  Although, not long after, Thomas attacked his fellow Frenchman and set off on his own.  It wasn't until inside the final kilometer of the day that the peloton caught him without any mercy.  Still I am sure he was award the red bib number of most combatative rider of the stage.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3894251-93-294403/Painting/is-this-worth-the-effort-tdf22-94.html

Tour '22, Stage 10: The Back of the Front

Once the 22 man break was established it quickly built a nine minute lead over the Maillot Jaune led peloton.  As the break headed up the final climb to the Montee d'Altiport de Megeve, Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal) could be found right a the back of the group.  Ahead of him were Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis), Jasper Stuyven (Intermache-Wanty Gobert) and Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM).  Unfortunately, once the attacks started at the front Gilbert and Rolland were quickly dropped.  I was hoping for more from both of these two.  Rolland is on my fantasy team and I, like he, are languishing in the middle of the general classication).

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3893276-56-294403/Painting/the-back-of-the-front-tdf22-56.html

Tour '22, Stage 8: Went Right, Went Left, Went First

The title describes just how amazing Wout Van Aert's (Jumbo-Visma) sprint was to win atop the final climb of Stage 8.  He started in the middle but got pushed to the left.  Then he was boxed in against the barriers, so he slowed and tried to go to the right.  Yet again, he was shut down, but then the middle opened and away he went.  Michael Mathews (BikeExchange-Jayco), who had been the first to reroute Van Aert, took his second second place of this Tour.  It was the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar (UAE-Team Emirates), who had started the sprint, finishing third.  That third place gave him a four second bonus, so despite most of the GC guys finishing at the same time, he still gained another four seconds on his rivals. Behind to podium you can just make out Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost) and Bengamin Thomas (Cofidis) finishing fifth and seventh respectively.  Can that jersey be taken off of his shoulders before Paris?

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3892804-45-294403/Painting/went-right-went-left-went-first-tdf22-45.html