Tour Femmes '26, Stage 7: Joining Forces

With three more kilometers to climb, this the third group on the road that included Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD) and her teammate Paula Blasi, Cedrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) and Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon/SRAM) have just about caught the two chasers up the road.  Their quarry, Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) and the Maillot Jaune Marlen Reusser (Movistar) were losing time to the lone leader now a further kilometer up the road.  Blasi and Niedermaier were also competing for the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider currently on Niedermaier shoulders.  The two came to the summit together leaving the jersey where it was.

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: "Joining Forces TdFF26-46" (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 Femmes '26, Stage 6: Coming Around Right

From being off the back on the penultimate climb of the day to out sprinting the leaders to claim the stage, Kim Le Court-Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal) had a rather exceptional stage.  With her efforts she moved herself into the top ten just seventeen seconds behind the woman who finished second today, Cedrine Kerboal (EF Education-Oatly).  Not only did Puck Peiterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) increase her lead in the Queen of the Mountains competition, she finished third on the day, too.  Behind them, it was the local woman (and French Champion) Celia Gery (FDJ United-Suez) only managed fifth.  She was awarded the most combative rider of the day much to the delight of the fans.  Fifth went to Liane Lippert (Movistar).  I feel like she was conflicted on whether to ride for herself or to help pull her teammate and Maillot Jaune closer to these leaders.  The Yellow Jersey group came in half a minute after the winner, but it wasn't enough to affect the top of the general classification, since they were all together.

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: "Coming Around Right TdFF26-38" (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 Femmes 26, Stage 1: Minor Adjustments

At the end of the men's Tour de France, I realized that I had neither seen nor painted a mechanic hanging out of the car adjusting something on their rider's equipment.  Today in the early kilometers of the Tour de France Femmes, I saw the EF Education-Oatly mechanic leaning out to of the window to fix Cedrine Kerboal's race radio.  That is when I learned through Anthony McCrossan that it is no longer permitted for safety reasons.  That is a rule I can agree with, but apparently, not EF's mechanic nor Director Sportif.  I guess they won't mind paying the fine they are sure to face either.  It did save time, and Kerboal was swiftly back into 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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Minor Adjustments TdFF26-1" (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 Femmes '25, Stage 9: Favorites

With seventy-eight kilometers left, the favorites (meaning those high up in the general classification) all had their eyes on each other.  Juliette Labous (FDJ-Suez) was coming back up to the front to take over the pace making for her teammate Demi Vollering.  On her wheel is the defending Tour Femmes champion, Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM-zondacrypto) followed in turn by Cedrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) and Pauline Ferran-Prevot (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the Maillot Jaune.  Sadly, Kerbaol and Niewiadoma crashed on a sharp turn at the base of the climb of the Col de Joux Plane.  While the Polish Champion was up and back in the group of favorites almost immediately, it took Kerbaol longer to get going.  Since the course when up immediately, despite her hard chase with two teammates, she never rejoined this group.  She dropped from her fifth place at the start of the stage to eighth in the final 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.

"Favorites TdFF25-54" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 6: With All Her Heart

Cedrine Kerboal's (Ceratizit-WNT) joy was unmistakable as she soloed to victory in Morteau.  She had jumped away on the final climb and left everyone in awe as she flew down the other side of the Cote des Fris.  She may have known that she didn't have enough of a gap to take the lead in the general classification, but regardless, she took the time to savor and celebrate her stage win.  It is the first stage win for a Frenchwoman in this year's Tour de France Femmes.  She took the stage with a twenty-one second advantage and got another ten second time bonus, so she now sits just sixteen seconds off of the Maillot Jaune in second place overall.  She will need to be careful tomorrow, third is just three seconds back and forth is only three more seconds behind that.  This should set up for some exciting racing capped off by mountain top finishes for the last two stages of the race.

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.

"With All Her Heart TdFF24-32" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 6: High Risk = High Reward

I will admit that I was scared by the way Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT) flew off the top of the /cote des Fris.  Not because she was bad at it.  No.  She was incredibly good at it, and incredibly fast, too.  Once she attacked the others, she quickly built a twenty-nine second lead on the others.  One woman went on the attack with her but couldn't keep up on the descent.  In fact, she went back into the peloton less than halfway down the cote.  With just seven kilometers left to race all she had to do was not crash and she should win the stage.  If she can pull out another couple of seconds along with the stage win, she will also take over the Maillot Jaune.  

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.

"High Risk = High Reward TdFF24-31" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 6: Knowing When to Go

All along the side of the road today fans have been waving signs, create yard art, and generally cheering on one of their own, Juliette Labous (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL).  Once the peloton had caught the last of the women in the early breakaway, the French Champion used her knowledge of her local roads to launch an attack on the Cote des Fris.  Her move was covered by Mavi Garcia (Liv-Alula-Jayco) and another Frenchwoman Cedrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT).  The trio got a bit of a gap, but they were all to high up in the general classification to be allowed much of a gap.

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.

"Knowing When to Go TdFF24-30" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 6: Caring for Her Young Teammate

Earlier in the stage, the White Jersey of Cedrine Kerbaol (Certizit-WNT) had been dangling off the back of the peloton.  Apparently, she recovered by the time the peloton had just thirty-one kilometers to reach Blagnac.  Nestled in the embrace of the peloton it seems that her teammate Kathrin Schweinberger had a few encouraging words for the best placed young rider in this Tour de France Femmes.  Just ahead of her I could make out the number of Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health).  Also around her were women on the teams of Jayco-Alula, EF Education-TIBCO-SVB, and Israel-Premier Tech.  Now that she is back into the peloton it is probably safe to assume she will be able to keep the Maillot Blanc of best young rider that she has had from the opening stage for at least one more day.  Dispite the evidence of today, she is reportedly a good climber so perhaps tomorrow's ascent of both the Col d'Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet won't endanger the jersey either.

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-2023/3968622-179-297438/Painting/caring-for-her-young-teammate-tdff23-35.html