Tour '26, Stage 12: What Are We Thinking?

Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarche) was trying to discover what is fellow members of the breakaway were talking about.  The two up front, Damiano Caruso (Bahrain-Victorious) and Matteo Vercher (TotalEnergies) seemed to be laying plans with sixty-three kilometers to race.  Ewen Costiou (Groupama FDJ-United) was eavesdropping hoping to find out whether they were going to attack, or just what they were up to.  I wonder whether the conversation was in Italian or French.  Although it does seem like the drop back language that most everyone knows is English.  With just thirty-eight seconds on the peloton, the decision that was reached was to sit up and wait for the peloton.  Well, at least that is what Caruso and Vercher did.  The other two Frenchmen, Veistroffer and Costiou pressed on with their efforts.

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: "What Are We Thinking? TdF26-80" (Original art by Greig Leach) 

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

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Paris Nice, Stage 4: Against the Clock

As the title would imply, this is the individual time trial, the race against the clock.  This is Daminano Caruso (Bahrain McLaren), who's name always makes me thing of the opera, laying out a great early run in his attack of the 15 kilometer course.  Painting a time trial is always a challenge.  I have no idea who will go out the winner until everyone has gone.  So I missed both the early leader (as did the broadcast) and the guy who took the stage, Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb).  So it goes.

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/Paris-Nice/3489806-15-272742/Painting/against-the-clock-pn20-15.html

Tour, Stage 18: Over the Big One

The first of the two HC Catagory climbs was the Col d'Izoard.  Julian Bernard (Trek-Segafredo) looked set to take the maximum points having led the whole way up the climb.  Sadly for him, it was the sprint of Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Merida) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) that swamped him within side of the summit.  Caruso got the points, with Bardet going over second, leaving third for Bernard.  Bardet has not been having the Tour he hoped for, but moving closer to the Maillot a Pois, should certainly raise his spirits.  If possible, it will raise the spirits of the French fans as well.  This is truly the Tour of the French!

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.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube.  If you enjoy what you see on the channel, please subscribe.  I need to get over a hundred subscribers so I can name the channel, "Art of Cycling"

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3365257-98-263530/Over%20the%20Big%20One%20%20TDF19-98.html

Tour, Stage 11: Working for Seconds

Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) went out on the offensive in the final kilometers of the climb up to La Rosiere.  Dumoulin went off and opened up a gap.  He did bridge across to Damiano Caruso (BMC) who had been in the break all day.  At this point, Geraint Thomas (Sky) left his team leader Chris Froome behind and gone in search of Dumoulin.  Sky was in a great position, Thomas is poised to take the yellow jersey, and should anyone counter his move, then Froome is free to attack and move himself further up the general classification.  Thomas is looking behind to see if it is Froome, or someone else coming up to this trio.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3189514-61-251072/PaintingWorking-for-Seconds--T18-60.html

Tour, Stage 11: Two More Are Coming

Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) looked over at his break away companions.  I'm not sure if he was letting them know that Nicolas Edet and Daniel Narvarro (Cofidis) were coming up to them, or if he was about to attack Damiano Caruso (BMC) and Warren Barguil (Fortuneo Samsic).  They were on the way up La Rosiere, the final climb of the day.  Unlike yesterday, there would be no riding down the other side of the mountain.  Today the stage would end on top of the Catagory 1 climb.

And yes, Nieve, went on the offensive, riding everyone off of his wheel.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3189409-60-251072/PaintingTwo-More-Are-Coming--T18-59.html

Tour, Stage 11: You Wouldn't Dare!

With a big day of climbing ahead of the peloton, the small kindness was to make the intermediate sprint before any of the mountains appeared on the horizon.  Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrophe) made sure he was in the early break, so that he could add points in his goal of the Maillot Vert.  Sagan was looking back over his shoulder, daring any of those behind to try and come around.  Behind the Slovakian sprinter, Damiano Caruso (BMC), Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic), Daniel Navarro (Cofidis( and Romain Sicard (Direct Energie) weren't interested in sprint points, unless they were those for the stage winner.  With the sprint out of the way, Sagan sat up and saved his energy for another day. 

Every day there is a time limit to finish the stage based on a changing percentage of the winners time.  With the short distance and big climbs facing the sprinters, it is a real possiblity that some of the big names in the flat sprint stages might get eliminated.  Spoiler alert, the beleaquered Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) didn't make the cut, and is now on his way home.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3189375-55-251072/PaintingYou-Wouldn't-Dare!.html

Il Lombardia: Look at Him Go!

With over 180 kilometers of the total 240 covered, Damiano Caruso (BMC) was off the front all on his own.  Behind was a vastly reduced peloton of roughly seventeen contenders trying to chase down the Italian racing on home soil.  I used  the bright blue arrow sign to create the title and to help drive the eye towards the fast descending Caruso.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2860430-25-206768/PaintingLook%20at%20Him%20Go!%20IL1-Greig-Leach.html#.V_GosPArLIU

Tour de France, Something Is Wrong

When the man sitting third overall in the Tour de France drops off the back of the peloton on the first climb of the day you know something must be wrong.  Tejay van Garderen (BMC) was shepherded by his teammate Damiano Caruso.  Van Garderen's team director pulled up along beside the duo trying to figure out just what the problem could be.  With four climbs and over a hundred kilometers to go until the end of the day, losing two minutes at this point doesn't bode well for the GC aspirations of the American.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company, www.richesonart.com.  They are a small family run art supply company that really does have excellent art making materials.  This painting, and in fact all of my cycling artwork, 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.  Don't delay however, since it is an original painting, when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2582774-105-210122/Painting.html#.Va_5mPlVikp

Dauphine Stage 4: Along the Valley Road

Stage four featured the largest break away group thus far in the Dauphine.  After several different groups attempted to get away (all were pulled back because they were too high up on the GC) this group established itself with a maximum of almost four minutes on the peloton and the Yellow Jersey.  Some of those represented included the best placed on GC, Yury Trofimov (Katusha) along with Christian Meier (Orica GreenEdge), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) and Jan Bakelants (OPQS).  Once the group hit the road into Gap ahead of the final climb up the Col du Manse, the peloton ramped up its speed in order to position the favorites for the coming ascent.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the Jack Richeson Company, www.richesonart.com  Also this work is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2387294---199476/Painting.html#.U6I-HM_D_IU

Paris-Nice Final Stage: One for the Home Team

This has been a wonderful Paris Nice for the French.  The French team AG2R claimed the Yellow Jersey for their man, Carlos Betancur, both Team Bretagne and Europcar lit up the breakaways nearly every stage and Sylvan Chavanel wore the Polka Dot Jersey for two days.  But the ultimate feather in the cap was Arthur Vichot (FDJ - another French team) winning on the Boulevard des Anglais wearing the Tri-Colour Jersey of the French National Champion.  This was truly a race for the home team.  It does make you wonder how the French will fair in the Tour de France.  The final standing for Paris Nice were; Carlos Betancur (AG2R) - Yellow Jersey, John Degenkolb (Giant Shimano) - Green Jersey, Pim Ligthat (Lotto Belisol) Polka Dot Jersey, Carlos Betancur (AG2R) - White Jersey (the best placed rider under 24) and Movistar for the best team.

This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2329441---195767/Painting.html#.UyY8uc_D_IU