La Course, Wanting to Be Queen

While I watched the two races in reverse order, it was the women who first raced around the streets of Nice and up the Cote de Rimiez.  Unlike the men, the women's race started out by going straight for the climb to the Queen of the Mountain points.  With such a blistering pace on the climb, it wasn't long before many of within the peloton found their day over before it even started.  As the peloton neared the summit, Christine Majerus (Boels-Dolmans), the oft champion of Luxembourg, jumped free to collect the maximum points on the climb.  If the same rules were applied as for the men, it means she claims the Maillot a Pois of Queen of the Mountains.  Giving chase was Maria Guila Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT) and it was Dani Christmas (Lotto Soudal Ladies) taking second over the cote for the first time.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3686988-6-282744/Painting/wanting-to-be-queen-lc20-1.html

Tour, Stage 1: Not Ideal

Not only were the race conditions less than ideal, the stage wasn't going great for Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck Quick Step) either.  On the descent off the only categorized climb, his front wheel locked up.  He waited a long time for his team car, and once there the mechanic couldn't get the front wheel off either.  The better option after too much time had been spent was to give him his back up bike.  Something else must not have been right, because Alaphilippe, normally a great descender, had a terrible time negotiating the tricky corners off of the Cote de Rimiez.

I just recently got a new bike with disc brakes and was very surprised that they don't have quick release skewers.  That is why the mechanic as a cordless drill.  He needs to drive a hex head wrench to free the front wheel (or the back) to effect a wheel change.  At least Alaphilippe was able to rejoin, and to even help with the lead out at the end of the stage.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3683714-3-282744/Painting/not-ideal-tdf20-3.html

Tour, Stage 1: First KOM

While checking over his shoulder just to make sure, Fabien Grellier (Total-Direct Energie) claimed the first King of the Mountain points atop the Cote de Rimiez.  He was challenged by Cyril Gautier (B&B Hotels-Vital Concept) who claimed the remain single point towards the Maillot a Pois.  Third over the top was Mcihael Schar (CCC) and since it was a Category 3 climb, he was left without points for this summit.  Don't worry for Schar, he got maximum points on the final climb, and on count back that gave him the first Polka Dot Jersey of the 2020 Tour.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3683695-2-282744/Painting/first-kom-tdf20-2.html