Tour '25, Stage 18: Needing to Hang On

With just two more kilometers to the summit of the Col du Glandon, Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) was losing touch with the breakaway.  While he is in the Maillot a Pois, he is in second placed tied with Tadej Pogacar who is wearing the Maillot Jaune instead.  Just ahead of him is the tail of the break, Andreas Leknessund (Uno X-Mobility), Cristian Rodriguez (Arkea-B&B Hotels), and Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) who is one of the former wearers of the King of the Mountains Jersey.  Shockingly, the Frenchman with the Spanish name, rallied and took the maximum points at the first Haute Category Summit of the day.  He was the virtual leader in that competition until the final climb to the mountain top finish.  He was unable to score anymore points after this climb.

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.

"Needing to Hang On TdF25-117" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Final Stage: Wardrobe!

My wife, Bridget Gethins, works in film, so the title comes from the call on set for someone from the wardrobe department, "Wardrobe!"  As Demi Vollering (SD Work-Protime) prepared to drop down off the summit of the Col du Glandon, her soigneur held out her jacket so that Vollering could slide her arm in the sleeve as she road by.  Her soigneur deftly does the jacket over her shoulder in one flawless motion.  I have never seen that done in a race before.  It does remind me of a fast costume change that goes on backstage in a play.  On Vollering's other side is Valentina Cavallar (Arkea-B&B Hotels) who had gone over the climb first with the others on her wheel.

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.

"Wardrobe! TdFF24-41" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Final Stage: Her Opening Move

Done by over a minute Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) couldn't wait until the final climb of the day to attack the Maillot Jaune.  Once her teammate Niamh Fisher-Black swung off, she launched with just over two kilometers left to climb of the Col du Glandon.  She dropped everyone except Pauliena Rooijmakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck).  The two Dutch women were gaining time very quickly as they chased down the lone leader on the road, Valentina Cavallar (Arkea-B&B Hotels).  The two were just two seconds apart on the general classification with Rooijmakkers in seventh and Vollering in eighth.  They are around a minute and a half behind the Maillot Jaune on the general classification, but this was looking like the move that will give one of them the final yellow jersey.

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.

"Her Opening Move TdFF24-40" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Final Stage: Bridging Up to the Leaders

Roughly half way up the Col du Glandon Valentina Cavallar (Arkea-B&B Hotels) jumps clear of the peloton to go searching for the leaders on the road.  According to the GPS she has another seventeen seconds to catch the seven ahead, but she has already put eighteen seconds into the group she left behind.  With another six kilometers of climbing on the penultimate climb of this Tour, she was putting herself in a great position for the final climb to the top of the Alpe d'Huez.

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.

"Bridging Up to the Leaders TdFF24-39" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes, Final Stage: In the Alps

The Tour de France Femmes has been in the Alps since yesterday, but this image just captured the vibe of riding and racing in the French alps for me.  This group of seven has just broken clear of the much larger early break as they started up the Col du Glandon.  On the tail of this group is Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ceratizit-WNT) just ahead of her is Liane Lippert (Movistar) along with Lucinda Brand (Lidl-Trek) and Katrine Aalerud (Uno X-Mobility) to mention a few of those that I can make out in this painting.  They have already built up almost a minute and a half on their erstwhile companions with another 62 kilometers to ride.  The next eleven of those kilometers are up to the top of the mountain.

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.

"In the Alps TdFF24-38" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France, Stage 18: As Fast as Possible

Romain Bardet (Ag2r) had two teammates helping him in the early breakaway.  With a final push on the ascent of the Col du Glandon, the young Frenchmen was off on his own.  By being the first over the HC Categorized climb, all he had to do was stay off of the front up the final ascent of the day to claim the Maillot a Pois from the newest owner, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).  More importantly if he could hold of his former break away companions to the line, he would be the second Frenchman to claim a stage in the 102nd Tour de France, and the second one from his team as well.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co., www.richesonart.com.  They are a small US based family run art supply company that has really wonderful products for art making.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware that because it is an original one of a kind work, once it has sold it is gone. So, don't delay.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2584025-121-210122/Painting.html#.VbFI5PlViko

Tour de France, Stage 18: Trying to Chip Away

After Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo) had been stuffed back into the Maillot Jaune group, it was Vincenzo Nibali's (Astana) turn to go.  The Italian Champion was quickly joined by the Maillot Blanc of Nairo Quintana (Movistar).  Now this was an attack on the way up the Col du Glandon that Team Sky couldn't let gain any time.  Nibali was a ways behind the lead of Froome, but Quintana sat only a little over three minutes behind the Kenyan born leader of Team Sky, so without panic, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) lifted his pace to catch this duo.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co., www.richesonart.com.  They are a small US based family run art supply company that has really wonderful products for art making.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware that because it is an original one of a kind work, once it has sold it is gone. So, don't delay.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2584007-120-210122/Painting.html#.VbFG0vlViko

Tour de France, Stage 18: Not Giving Up

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo) has vowed to fight for the Yellow Jersey all of the way to Paris.  I do wonder if he will break with tradition and actually attack the jersey on the final stage of the Tour.  Today he certainly gave it everything to gain back the time he lost on the previous stage due to his crash on the descent of the Col d'Allos.  Using the HC Category climb of the Col du Glandon, the Spaniard jumped out of the small group of favorites and danced away up the mountain.  Nicolas Roche and the rest of the remaining members of Team Sky, let him go.  Contador is now over eight minutes behind the Maillot Jaune of Chris Froome, so they felt it was up to others to chase the main in the lime green kit of Tinkoff Saxo.  I was a little surprise to see the flag of Israel along the side of the road.  But then the sport if cycling is truly international.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co., www.richesonart.com.  They are a small US based family run art supply company that has really wonderful products for art making.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware that because it is an original one of a kind work, once it has sold it is gone. So, don't delay.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2584001-119-210122/Painting.html#.VbFEpPlViko