Tour de France Stage 8: Inside the Final Kilometer

As the peloton scaled the wall of Bretagne (Mur de Bretagne) it was time for the puncheurs to try and get away from the overall contenders and the last remaining sprinter, Peter Sagan(Tinkoff Saxo).  Simon Geschke (Giant Alpecin) looks behind to see what kind of gab he has, and how has latched onto his wheel.  Beside the German was one of the Yates twins, Simon Yates (Orica GreenEdge) and one their wheel was Christophe Riblon (AG2R).  At this point they had a little bit of daylight between themselves and the closing Maillot Jaune, Chris Froome (Team Sky).  Tucked onto the Sky leader was the Slovak National Champion (and wearer of the Maillot Blanc) Peter Sagan.  Sagan has yet to claim a stage victory and he seems to be in position to rectify that statistic.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting, in fact all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, since this is a one of a kind original, once it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2579338---210122/Painting.html#.VaGFuflViko

Tour Stage 10: All Kinds of Pain

As the various small groups of athletes of the Tour started the final climb of the most grueling of stages these guys had been up and over six categorized climbs and at this point over a hundred and fifty kilometers of rain soaked narrow twisted roads.  This is the group that was the second on the road, the one that the Maillot Jaune was tangling on the tail end of, and held some of the other names that may now have a chance to climb onto the podium in Paris.  Seemingly to have been hiding for ten days, the camera found the National Champion of Luxemburg, Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Racing) riding pedal stroke to pedal stroke with the World Road Champion, Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and his teammate, Chris Horner, along with Christophe Riblon (AG2R) amongst others.  Everyone of them harboring dreams of being the first to summit the climb and claim the stage victory.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  It will be the next page in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour", a complete collection of my paintings and writings on the 101st Tour de France.  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your own copy, or to discover how you can be part of bring this wide open Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent rewards for those who choose to back the project at a wide variety of levels of participation.  Most include an artist signed copy of the book, some with original artwork starting for as little as $5 USD.  International shipping is available at all levels of support.  If you would rather simply purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2402536---199992/Painting.html#.U8SgUM_D_IU

Tour Stage Twenty: Staying Loose

These are the second group up the road just dropping off the first climb of the day,  Simon Clarke is just now on the back stretching out his legs for the hard day of climbing ahead.  Fortunately for all involved, it is the last day in the Alps, and the penultimate day of the 100th Tour de France.  This group is about two minutes behind the first four and maybe four ahead of the group with the Yellow Jersey.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183693---186227/Painting.html#.UfCQhMvD_IU

Tour Stage Eighteen: Le Sommet du Monde

I am trusting Google to correctly translate, "On Top of the World", I know a little bit of French so I feel good about "du Monde".  But I am sure I feel no where near as good as Christophe Riblon who had been in the first break that got away at 17 kilometers.  To have the opportunity and ability to grab the coveted win atop the Alpe d'Huez and the long sought after win for the home team, moved him to tears of joy and fist pumbs of jubilation.  It should be noted that the last time the Tour climbed the storied Alpe, it was another Frenchman who crossed the line first, Pierre Rolland.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France and the first victory for France. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183647---186227/Painting.html#.UfB79MvD_IU

Tour Stage Eighteen: For Team, Stage and Country

As in the first trip up Alpe d'Huez, Riblon was dropped by Van Garderen on the steeper parts of the climb, but I think he found comfort in knowing that he had got the BMC man at the top on the first climb and was confident that he could repeat that feet.  Riding with the hopes of every Frenchman along the road and throughout the country he did catch TeJay just before the red kite of one K to go.  Buoyed by the dreams of his country winning a stage in their 100th Tour of their homeland, he jumped right by his adversary and rode the air of French faith to the top of the mountain.  He was aware enough to tell his team director to move so he could take the inside corner of the coming turn.  France now has their first victory in the 100th Tour de France, the USA is still looking for theirs.  And for the record, AG2R is a French team as well.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website where you can purchase this painting.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183645---186227/Painting.html#.UfB6gMvD_IU

Tour Stage Eighteen: Riding With the Devil

Oops, got these out of order.  So this is before the watercolor, "Team Mates"

A long time fixture along the side of every stage of the Tour for as long as I have been watching (and that goes back several years pre-Armstrong) I have seen the devil jumping up and down, waving his pitchfork clad all in red with a black cape.  Obviously, he has had a costume change for the 100th Tour de France, wrapped in brilliant yellow, his long white hair flapping, he still carries the same energy and enthusiasm as when I first saw him so many years ago.  Given the hellacious second climb of the Alpe d'Huez Riblon and Van Garderen already knew they were in hell, the devil just confirmed it.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours in a short 3 day auction on ebay.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251307006583

Tour Stage Eighteen: Over the Top

Christophe Riblon, the French rider on the French team, managed to catch TeJay as they went over the top of the first the pass of Alpe d'Huez and then road together to cross the Col du Sarenne together.  The crowds were kept off of this stretch of narrow road lined with fragile endangered flora, so while it was an important climb and dangerous descent, no spectators (other than cyclists, officials and the Gendarme) were they to witness the battles in person.  The peloton complained about the organizers using this narrow unprotected descent with steep drop offs on most every corner.  Both of these guys had trouble on the way down, neither was serious, but had them both expending more energy they would have preferred.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website to purchase this painting.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183295---186227/Painting.html#.Ue_wLsvD_IU

Tour Stage Eighteen: The First to Start Up

Showing no fear of the fabled 21 switchbacks, this group of five road off from the others in search of the top of a stage victory or maybe just a head start up the mountain ahead of the peloton.  The group includes, Christophe Riblon, TeJay Van Garderen, Lars Boom, Moreno Moser and Sylvain Chavanel, most of these guys have been in the lion share of the breaks in the 100th Tour de France.  Even though the organizers had closed the roads for three days prior to the peloton's arrival, their were tens of thousands of pro-cycling fans lining every kilometer of the ever climbing road, and they knew they were going to see every rider pedal by them twice.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website.  While you are there why not browse around at all of the artwork on offer.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183283---186227/Painting.html#.Ue_q6cvD_IU

Tour Stage Eight: Who Are You?

Christophe Riblon jumped from his fellow break away riders and set off to a hoped for solo victory repeating his feat in the 2010 Tour de France.  He was quite surprised to look over his shoulder to find a young diminutive Columbia storming up the mountain behind him.  Nairo Quintana had jumped from the Sky lead peloton and road up the side of the Col like it was a flat straight road, he actually had to brake for the corners going uphill.  Even the race referee popped up out of the director's car to watch the display of climbing by the 23 year old.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available through a visited to my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2179393---186227/Painting.html#.UeSfGcvD_IU

Tour Stage Eight: First to the Base

The first mountain stage of the 100th Tour de France had a long flat approach to the tallest pass that the Tour will cross in this edition of the Gande Boucle. This was the break that went early hoping that they could have a big head start on the big contenders of the GC.  The group contains Johnny Hoogerland in the colors of the Champion of the Netherlands, Jean-Marc Marino, Christophe Riblon (who is hoping to repeat his win on the same climb 3 years ago) and Rudy Melard all thinking they will be the ones to overturn the machine of Team Sky.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com, a great company that makes excellent art supplies.  The work is also available at my artist website,  just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2179361---186227/Painting.html#.UeSaFsvD_IU