Tour '26: Stage 13: Capturing the Move

The race is filmed by a minimum of four TV Motos and at least two camera sporting helicopters.  Throw in the stationary cameras at the intermediate sprint and the finish, there is quite a good chance of capturing all of the main action of any stage of the Tour de France.  I always enjoy when one cameraman catches another at work.  So it was with this Moto filming what looks to be the winning move off the front of the break by Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana).  The pair had opened up just nine seconds on their erstwhile companions as they raced the final fifteen kilometers into Belfort.  They were helped by Schmid's teammate, Luke Plapp discouraging the chase behind.

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: "Capturing the Move TdF26-90" (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 '25, Stage 13: Riding a Solid Tempo

As he was closing in on the final kilometer of the individual time trial, Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) was laying down a great ride.  In fact, his tempo carried him to a second-place finish as he completed his 10.9-kilometer effort.  While he dropped to eighth by the time everyone was finished, I am sure he was able to provide important information for his team leader (and race leader) Tadej Pogacar.  I enjoy the fans watching him go pass.  They had clearly set up a picnic, a canopy, and even Tour themed decorations.  It does take hours for a time trial to go from start to finish.  So it provides hours of entertainment (or boredom for some) unlike a road stage where you see the race for maybe a couple of seconds if the peloton is all together.  I am sure Adam was hoping to get a stage win to equal the one his twin brother got back in stage 11.

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.

"Riding a Solid Tempo TdF25-83" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 12: Following Their Own

I think I had meant to entitle this "Filming Their Own."  So it goes.  All of the race footage of the Tour is provided by France-TV and then shared with TV networks all around the world.  It is no surprised that they were more than happy to get great film of their countryman Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-Ag2r-La Mondiale) speeding alone to the final climb of the day.  Armirail had jumped free of the huge early breakaway by virtue of his amazing descending skill.  He was third over the Col du Soulor but he was the first to reach the valley below.  With thirty-five kilometers to the summit finish atop Hautacam, he had a minute on those chasing behind and a little over two minutes on the peloton of Tour favorites.  The French have yet to win a stage of this Tour and were hoping that his guy would deliver that all important victory.

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.

"Following Their Own TdF25-77" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 5 ITT: Riding Out of His Polka Dots

Quite a lot was said before the start of the first time trial of this edition of the Tour de France about where Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) was after losing time in the only ITT at the Criterium Dauphine.  Today he answered everyone with his legs!  As he rode the final twists and turns of the thirty-three kilometer course, we all wondered if he might actually win the stage.  He didn't. But he only missed by a mere sixteen seconds.  While he didn't out ride Remco Evenepoel, he is forty-two seconds ahead of him in the general classification.  With this title, I was sort of going for the joke that he was riding out of his skin, or should I say his polka dotted skinsuit.  Actually, he claimed the Maillot Jaune today, but he still the owner of the Maillot a Pois.  His second place today also claimed in the Maillot Vert.  While I doubt he will hold all three when we reach Paris, the only guy to ever do that was Eddy Merckx, he sure is making it look like it will be a tough race for everyone else.

He and the team had made an effort to make sure he wouldn't be in an RSO issued leaders skinsuit fearing that it would be as fast as his team's own.  Clearly, it didn't slow him down.  Or maybe it did.  Had he been in his regular team kit would he have won the stage, too?

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.   

"Riding Out of His Polka Dots TdF25-31" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Tour de France 23, Stage 13: Keeping the Chase at Bay

Every cycling pundit I listened to was sure that none of those in the break away had a snowball's chance of holding off the elite of this Tour de France.  But here Michal Kwiatwoski (Ineos-Grenadiers) was raising his fist in a defiant salute.  He had held off the big names of the Tour by almost a minute to claim the stage.  This is the first stage win for his team, and the second time in a row that they have won the stage on Bastille Day.  

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-2023/3965510-82-297438/Painting/keeping-the-chase-at-bay-tdf23-82.html

 

TDF, Stage 16: Charming Austria

Perhaps I should explain.  Bridget and I were trying to come up with a title for this painting after I realized I hadn't written a title on the work, nor signed it for that matter.  When I explained that Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) was only the third Austrian to win a stage in the history of the Tour de France.  She suggested titling it, "Third Time Is the Charm" but that felt like it meant that it was his third stage win.  So we felt that Konrad would be charming his Austrian countrymen with this win fourty two seconds ahead of the chase group.  That sprint was taken by Colbrelli with Matthews on his wheel giving the two quite a few points in their chase of Mark Cavendish's Maillot Vert.  Cav came in almost 24 minutes later.  That makes two wins for Bora-Hansgrohe, but not the way they expected to get them when the Tour set off from Brittany over two weeks ago.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.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 from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3823770-105-291436/Painting/charming-austria-tdf21-104.html