Il Lombardia: Alone at the Line

I am always baffled when riders will look at each other, each hoping the other will try be the one to go after the attacking rider.  Dan Martin (Garmin Sharp) put in the hard surprise attack that left everyone looking at each other.  Finally, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was joined by Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida), and Samuel Sanchez (BMC), but it was too late to catch the victorious Irishman.  Valverde's second place was enough to solidify his lead in the 2014 UCI ProTour rankings with just the Tour of Beijing to go.  This is a small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this 4"x6" artwork, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  To purchase my soon to be released, "Book de Tour," please visit http://www.dementimilestonepublishing.com/#!book-de-tour/c1nth where you can pre-order my collection of annotated paintings of the 101st Tour de France and the inaugural La Course.  The book is a soft cover 240 page retelling of all of the drama of both races as seen through the eyes of this artist.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2449730---195767/Painting.html#.VDhVfs_D_IU

Il Lombardia: Hitting Them Hard

Dan Martin (Garmin Sharp) made the perfect move with less than a kilometer to go to the line.  He came from the back of the very select group that had caught Tim Wellens (Lotto Belisol), hitting them all at full speed before anyone knew he was attacking.  Sammy Sanchez (BMC) look across at Rui Costa (Lampre) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) to see if any one was going to try and chase the flying Irishman.  Martin had crashed out of the Giro d'Italia in the opening minutes of the Team Time Trial as the Giro opened in his home country of Ireland.  It has been rumored that the reason the Giro started with the TTT was it was almost certain that Martin would take the Pink Jersey of race leader and hold it through all of the Irish stages.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this 4"x6" work of art, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  The painting is only $50 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2449714---195767/Painting.html#.VDhOd8_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 7: Dishing Out the Hurt

As the peloton went up the final climb of the 2014 US Pro Challenge, Phil Liggett was saying he didn't understand why Garmin Sharp had put most of the team on the front to drive the pace on the way up Lookout Mountain.  It was his partner, Paul Sherwen, who knew that the boys in blue would want to eliminate as many sprinters as possible on the step climb on the outskirts of Golden, CO.  Phillip Gaimon and Gavin Mannion are looking back down the mountain to see if they have shucked Cannondale and their sprinter, Elia Viviani.  Without the fast Italian, Garmin felt sure their man Alex Howes would be able to get the win he so narrowly missed on the opening stage of the race.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this 4"x6" painting for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2424526---201508/Painting.html#.U_q6DM_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 5: Whipping Through Town

It was a miserable day for racing in Colorado today.  It was equally miserable for the commentators and spectators who had no video coverage to watch.  The images are caught several ways all effected by the weather.  Helicopters that fly above the peloton not only couldn't see the riders due to the cloud cover peaks, they couldn't see the peaks themselves, not exactly the safest way to fly.  Without the transmitters in the sky, the images from the motorbikes were not visible either.  So it wasn't until the leaders swung through the town of Breckenridge, pass the stationary cameras did we get to see the rather wet, chilled men of the break away. The four to summit the high pass then dropped like stones into town before heading out for another climbing loop.  Janier Acevedo (Garmin Sharp) led his teammate, Ben King along with Laurent Didier (Trek) and Rob Britton (Smart Step) through the ski resort town in front of hundreds of rain soaked enthusiastic fans of cycling.  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.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this 4"x6" painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423728---201508/Painting.html#.U_jTZc_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 3: One After the Other

Every rider aspiring to wear the Yellow Jersey knew that they had to attack the defending champion, Tejay van Garderen (BMC) if they wanted to have a chance to still be in the lead after the uphill time trial to Vail on Saturday.  First it was Mick Rodgers (Tinkoff Saxo), then the Colombian pair, followed by another Tinkoff Saxo man, Bruno Pires.  Finally, Tom Danielson (Garmin Sharp) decided he had to be aggressive to get the better of the man currently in the royal blue jersey of the best place Colorado native, van Garderen.  The BMC leader was fortunate to have such a strong teammate to do the quick chasing in the form of Ben Hermans, not that Tejay was having any problems pulling the attackers back.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423132---201508/Painting.html#.U_a2r8_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 3: Off Go the Colombians

In the last couple of years you can be sure that when the road points up there will be a Colombian rider on the front of the race.  Today these two countrymen from opposing teams seemed to chat at the back of the small, select peloton before jumping out of the back of the group.  David Alexander Jaramilo (Jamis) and Janier Alexis Acevedo (Garmin Sharp) had waited for the steepest section of the course they could fine hoping their hard acceleration and combined attack would be enough to win the day for one of them.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Do hurry though, it is a first come first served kind of a thing. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423130---201508/Painting.html#.U_avSM_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 3: The Top of the Pass

Stage 3's elevation map showed the riders going almost straight up from the beginning of the stage, down the other side and then right back up again.  Ben Hermans (BMC) went out early so he could be out front to help his team leader, Tejay van Garderen later on.  He was the first to crest the first King of the Mountain point on the top of Monarch Pass, with van Garderen's main rival, Tom Danielson (Garmin Sharp) stuck onto his wheel.  The US Pro Challenge uses a variation of the Tour de France's Polka Dot Jersey of the KOM leader.  The one in Colorado is a pattern of ever smaller white dots on a red field as opposed to the even pattern of red polka dots on the white jersey of the Tour.  However neither of these guys are after the jersey currently worn by Ben Jacques-Magnes (Jamis).  Danielson is out to win the race overall.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co. (www.richesonart.com) a small North American family run art supply company.  The painting is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But while you are at the website, you should take the time to browse all of the art on offer.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423122-12-6-201508/Painting/Sports.html#.U_anSM_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 1: Less Than Amused

The very select peloton was about to let Jens Voigt (Trek) steal their thunder and pulled the strong man back into their midst.  Although most of the true sprinters and three quarters of the riders in the race, were dropped in the chase of the fabled German.  With his teammate Janier Alexis Acevedo (Garmin Sharp) on the front, Tom Danielson gestured angerly for something.  Most likely he wanted more of his teammates on the front so he could gain as much time as possible.  Tucked onto his wheel was most of BMC, bringing their man and defending champion of the race, Tejay van Garderen into the business end of the petite peloton.  Van Garderen had Peter Stetina and Michael Schar, both of whom had shepherded the American through the most recent Tour de France.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202013/2421476---201508/Painting.html#.U_MHj8_D_IU

Tour Final Stage: Leaving It Off Where He Picked Up

Marcel Kittel (Giant Shimano) started this Tour de France by winning the opening stage into Harrogate in the United Kingdom, a win that follow his win in the last stage of the 2013 Tour de France.  The German fast man was able to round out his Tour by winning the final stage, bookending his wins and showing that he is the current fast man of the peloton.  He did pick up some other wins in the middle, but like all sprinters the win on the Champs Elysees is the one that is treasured.  Peter Sagan (Cannondale) was all the way down in 9th place on the stage, but then he had already achieved his goal of claiming the Green Jersey of points leader.  Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Andre Greipel (Lotto-Belisol), Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin Sharp) and Daniele Bennati (Saxo Tinkoff) rounded out the top five under the eyes of thousands of fans that lined the famous boulevard.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting along with all of my artwork of the 101st Tour de France will be included in my soon to be self published tome, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bringing this Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous rewards for those who choose to back the book, including artist signed copies, original art, printed postcards and even a few copies signed by Vincenzo Nibali himself.  Everyone who contributes will have their name in print on the Special Thanks page of the book.  To purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post, but wouldn't you like to have all of the paintings in a book as well?  Sure you would!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2409042---199992/Painting.html#.U9WzQsvD_IU

Tour Stage 19: The Other End of the Race

Even as his teammate celebrate the victory he so narrowly missed in Nimes, Jack Bauer (Garmin Sharp) was picking himself back up off of the road.  He was one of roughly thirty riders who went down just inside of the final 3 kilometers to go point on the approach into Bergerac.  The three kilometer part of the story is critical.  Riders who crash or have a mechanical inside of that point are given the same time on the stage as those whom they were with that make it to the finishing line. Bauer took longer to get back underway than most who went down, and was shaking out his left arm as he slowly pedal the remaining distance to join his jubilant teammate.  Many others came up along his side as he rode in, but unlike the Garmin Sharp man, they had been dropped out on the course and their arrival time gaps were what would be recorded as their official times.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting will be amongst the complete collection of paintings of the 2014 Tour de France the will comprise my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become a part of bringing this Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408468---199992/Painting.html#.U9M9M8vD_IU

Tour Stage 19: Embracing the Rain

Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin Sharp) reached into the wet air, embracing the rain and savoring his daring long solo run to the finish line to victory.  He may have been helped by the rather large pile of bikes and cyclists that happened near the front of the peloton taking out sprinters and sprint trains alike.  Peter Sagan (Cannondale) was one of those who lay on the side of the road with no chance for the stage victory that has alluded the Slovakian sprinter in the 101st Tour de France.  He has achieved his stated goal of winning the Green Jersey of the most consistent sprinter, but would have liked to been the first to cross the line at least once in this Tour.  With an individual time trial for Stage 20 and the sprinters delight on the Champs Elysees for the finale, this was most likely his last chance to take a stage.  His body language on the side of the road did not equal the joy of Navardauskas, to say the least.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting will be amongst the complete collection of paintings of the 2014 Tour de France the will comprise my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become a part of bringing this Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408456---199992/Painting.html#.U9M59cvD_IU

Tour Stage 19: On His Own

Team Garmin Sharp went into this stage as one of thirteen teams that have yet to win a Stage of the 101st Tour de France, and they were not planning on letting that still be the case at the end of the day.  After putting Tom Jelte Slagter in the early break, they then launched Ramunas Navardauskas off of the front of the peloton on the only Categorized climb of the day.  While it was still 20 kilometers to the line, they were hoping to rectify the Jack Bauer being caught at the line in Nimes.  Cycling is a sport that will go in almost any conditions, and the fans will come out to watch them regardless of the weather, so it is that the roads today were lined with umbrellas, slickers and ponchos, because the rain was not going to dampen the mood of the fans.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting along with all of my art of the 101st Tour de France will be included in my soon to be self published tome, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become a part of bringing this Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent rewards for those who choose to pledge their support, but do hurry the funding period ends on the 4th of August.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408454---199992/Painting.html#.U9M2GcvD_IU

Tour Stage 19: Leading the Way

The final day of open road racing was greeted by yet more rain.  More rain and the regular early break with some of the usual players for the long shot.  The peloton was guided through the course by a five man escape group that included some of the usual suspects, Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Tom Jelte Slagter (Garmin Sharp) and Rein Taatamae (Cofidis).  The only new guy to the party was the Bretagne-Seche man, Arnuad Gerard.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Stave Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published complete collection of my paintings of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become a part of bringing this art of cycling to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous Backer Rewards for those who choose to pledge to the Kickstarter "Book de Tour" project for as little as $5 USD.  Every level of support will get your name printed on the Special Thanks page of the book.  To purchase this painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408440-145-138-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U9MsM8_D_IU

Tour Stage 16: Derrier de la Course

Life at the back of the peloton can be tough, it is often the place for the walking wounded, or in this case the riding wounded.  Ji Cheng (Giant Shimano) drops off the peloton to visit the race doctor in search of the magic spray that will keep him going.  With all of the ban substances, to prevent performance enhancing doping, it is difficult to manage pain, pain most often from tendonitis.  Cheng has been the man driving the front of the peloton for Giant Shimano and then disappearing after he has left all of his energy on the road.  He is joined at the back by the heartbreak kid, Jack Bauer (Garmin Sharp). Having but so many kilometers into the break on the way into Nimes, he just was still too exhausted from that effort to be able to hold the wheels of the fast disappearing peloton.  With 21 stages over a 23 day period, riders have to be careful to not over do it one day for fear of having nothing left for the next.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  The painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published art book of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become involved in bringing this most unpredictable Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous incentives to encourage you to back the project starting a just $5 USD, and every backer, regardless of the amount pledge, will have their name in print on the Special Thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post, but wouldn't you like to have a copy of "Book de Tour" as well?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406648-120-114-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U87iHM_D_IU

Tour Stage 15: Maybe, Just Maybe

Inside of the final kilometer of the run into Nimes, the break away of Jack Bauer (Garmin Sharp) and Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) was still off of the front.  As long as the pair didn't play around with trying to be the one at the rear when it was time to sprint, they actually had a chance to get to the line before those at full flight behind got to the line.  This sport can be very cruel in the most widely varied ways, and this Tour seems to want to show us every one.  The duo had been off of the front of the race since the opening kilometers and where still out there with one half of one kilometer out of the entire 222 kilometer stage to go.  For them not to get to fight it out for the stage victory would just be too cruel.  But then it is a cruel and heartless sport, performed by men of great heart.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting will appear along with all of my 101st Tour de France paintings into my soon to be self published cycling art book, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your own copy, or to discover how you can become involved in bringing the 2014 Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous incentives for those who choose to back this projects, rewards start at just $5 USD, and you can get an artist signed copy for only $25 USD, any amount contributed will get your name printed on the Special Thanks page of the book, even for just a $1 pledge.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post, but you know you want a copy of this visual treasure of the Tour, too.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2405592---199992/Painting.html#.U8yLEcvD_IU

Tour Stage 15: On the Straight & Wide

With a long, basically downhill stage, this one was marked as one for the sprinters.  The wide, straight, open roads should help the peloton judge the capture of the break away to perfection.  It should therefore be another day that will go to script with the only possible deviations coming if the legendary Mistral winds of southern France.  Strong cross winds can have the same effect on the peloton has any category one mountain, splitting the riders apart and causing huge time gaps.  So it was that the peloton let this two man break of Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) and Jack Bauer (Garmin Sharp) build up an eight minute lead, the peloton confident that they could be caught at will. This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This work and all of my paintings from the 101st Tour de France will appear in my soon to be self published collection in "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become part of bringing the 2014 Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some very nice rewards for those who choose to back this project, they all include your name in print on the Special Thanks page of the book, and various levels include an artist signed copy of the book, original art and/or printed postcards.  The book is available for any pledge of support at $25 USD and above.  If you would rather just purchase this particular painting follow the direct link at the end of this post, but wouldn't you want to have all of the paintings in a book, too?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2405562---199992/Painting.html#.U8x998vD_IU

Tour Stage 12: Into the Hay Bales

The race organizers of the Tour de France do all they can to keep the riders safe including placing red striped hay bales to protect the riders from unmovable dangers along the entire race course of the Tour.  So much of the race comes down to luck, some you can make, and some makes you.  Davide De La Cruz had a very unluckily timed front wheel blow out as he leaned into a hard right turn.  With his carbon rim on the pavement he had no warning or chance to keep his bike upright.  Furthering the bad luck, he took out the back wheel of Sebastien Langeveld (Garmin Sharp) sending them both into the hay bales and fans that lined the corner.  Langeveld jumped back up, and went off to catch back onto his break away companions.  De La Cruz was not so lucky, his writhing in pain left in no doubt that the hard contact with the asphalt had most likely broken his shoulder or collar bone.  Whatever the injury, his first trip to the Tour de France was now over. This is a small original watercolor and ink painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published book of my art of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how to become involved in bringing this amazing edition of the Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some wonderful rewards for backers at a wide variety of levels, all include your name in print on the special thanks page, and starting at $5 USD.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2404230---199992/Painting.html#.U8h8zc_D_IU

Tour Stage 12: In With a Chance

After his heroic effort to finish Stage 11 and to do it inside of the time limited the leader for Garmin Sharp, Andrew Talansky, decided with his team to not take to the start for Stage 12, the pain was too much.  All involved thought it would be better for him to recover and finish the season strong, than to push on possibly causing serious damage with no hope of getting back into the podium hunt.  Sebastien Lengeveld took up the mantle for his fallen leader, he was the first to start the break at only 5 kilometers of racing before being joined by Simon Clark (Orica GreenEdge), David De La Cruz (NetApp-Endura), Florian Vachon (Bretagne-Seche) and Gregory Rast (Trek Factory Racing).  The stage looked like a good opportunity for the break away to succeed, it was too hilly for most of the sprinters and not steep enough for the climbers to carry the day.  So to quote Paul Sherwen, "The break is in with a chance."  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company (www.richesonart.com).  This painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published book of my art of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how to become involved in bringing this amazing edition of the Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some wonderful rewards for backers at a wide variety of levels, all include your name in print on the special thanks page, and starting at $5 USD.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2404214-88-84-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U8h2DM_D_IU

Tour Stage 11: Making the Time Limit

There are so many stories in the Tour de France, so many that become legendary, fabled, tales of valor, sacrifice, personal triumph and of struggle, pain and suffering.  Today Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) can add is name to the list of those who have showed courage and determination in the Tour.  Talansky dropped off of the peloton on the first categorized climb of the day, eventually stopping at the side of the road apparently about to leave the Tour in unbearable pain.  After a lengthy discussion, he decided to honor the work his team had done for him thus far, by riding the rest of the stage.  He faced almost certain elimination by finishing outside of the time limit.  Riders must finish within a certain percentage of the winner's time based on the difficulty of the stage.  It was calculated that he had to cross the line no more than 34 minutes after Tony Gallopin raised his arms in victory. Talansky was the second victor of the day.  After stretching his gap out to roughly twenty minutes, he found the inner strength to hold that gab, riding even with the peloton, but much further back, with only the following Broom Wagon, the Voiture Balai, and his team car for company.  Virtually all of the crowds that had cheered the victory of Gallopin , waited to cheer this personal victory with almost the same zeal.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting will be included in my soon to be self published book, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become part of bringing the tome of the Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2403866---199992/Painting.html#.U8d8o8_D_IU

Tour Stage 5: It's About Gaining Seconds

With riders sliding all over the course, Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) included, the end of the stage became all about trying to gain time on one's rivals.  Talansky may have lost time against the Astana trio, he gained seconds on most of the other GC men.  You can just see Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte (Team Sky) rounding the corner ahead of the Garmin leader.  I am very impressed with Team Sky's response to Froome's abandonment of the Tour, whether it had been a contingency set in place before the start of the race, or a mid race gut reaction, the team immediately rallied around Porte as their new team leader and "protected man".  At the end of the day only Nibali's teammate was able to maintain the two second deficit to the Yellow jersey with Talansky, Kwiatkowski, Bardet and van Garderen suffering the least amount of time damage in the stage.  It was Alberto Contador who lost the most on the surprising Italian National Champion, Nibali.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting will be included in my soon to be self published "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, pre-order your copy or discover how to become involved in bringing this art of this Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour  There are some great incentive rewards for those who choose to become a backer of the "Book de Tour" through the Kickstarter site.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2399426---199992/Painting.html#.U73c9MvD_IU