Tour '25, Stage 20: Bunny Hop

With his teammate Ben Healy save in his position in the general classification it was Harry Sweeny's (EF Education-EasyPost) turn to go out searching for a stage win.  He had managed to get into the early break, but like others, he got frustrated with the lack of some of the members of the escape group.  The best way for him to deal with that was to go off on his own.  With another 38 kilometers to race in the rain, he had built up fifty-four seconds on his former companions.  The peloton was over five-and-a-half minutes further back.  As he came out of a roundabout he couldn't quite turn sharp enough to avoid a traffic island.  Rather than risk sliding out, he bunny-hopped the curb and kept riding.  Many have hit the deck in the on and off showers that have plagued the peloton all day.  He was eventually caught and then spit out the back of the reduced group.

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.  

"Bunny Hop TdF25-135" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 12: Keeping Healy Close

As the peloton neared the summit of the Col du Soulor, Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) succumbed to the heat, the pace, and the two different stages that put him into the Maillot Jaune in the first place.  As he struggled, his teammate Harry Sweeny rode just ahead of him pacing the Irishman in hopes of getting back onto the group of favorites over the top of the first category one climb of this Tour de France.  Alas, the final climb of the day was just way too hard, and the heat just way too much for Healy to keep Yellow despite the best efforts of Sweeny.  He finished the day over thirteen and a half minutes behind the stage winner (and new Maillot Jaune), dropping down to eleventh place in the general classification.  Having lost their GC hopeful before the start of the Tour his team was merely hoping for a stage win (which he provided) so two days in the Maillot Jaune was a bonus for his team's fortunes.

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.

"Keeping Healy Close TdF25-76" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 12: Shepherding Yellow

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) was being shepherded by his teammates, Nielson Powless and Harry Sweeny, over the relatively flat first hundred kilometers of the stage.  He did have two teammates in the large breakaway up the road, and three more taking turns on the front of the peloton.  As they make sure Healy has everything he needs, one of the Visma-Lease a Bike guys drops back along the front of the peloton.  I presume he is headed back to fetch bidons from his team car.  It should be noted that this is the Irishman's second day of racing in the Maillot Jaune.  It has been just shy of forty years since one of his countrymen have worn yellow in the Tour de France.  The last guy to do it was Stephen Roche.  In that case, he went on to win the 1987 Tour de France.  I don't think Healy will be able to repeat that accomplishment.

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. 

"Shepherding Yellow TdF25-73" (Original art by Greig Leach)

TDF, Stage 21: And Now, We Race!

With all of the tradition having been honored, it was time to race.  After the champagne toasts, the winner's team photos, the handshakes, the mugging for the cameras, and the procession onto the Champs Elysees led by the team of the Maillot Juane, it is time to get back to the business of a bike race.  The moment that the yellow jersey crossed the line for the first of eight laps, the attacks began.  This trio of Harry Sweeny (Lotto Soudal), Stefan Bisseger (EF Education-Nippo) and someone from Bora-Hansgrohe got a bit of seperation as the peloton flew back down the Champs Elysees away from the l'Arc de Triomphe.  As Phil Liggett said, "That might be the biggest flag I've ever seen."  Normally, their would be a fly over by the French airforce, but they arrived just a bit late.  I'll leave the interpretation of that fact to others...

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 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/3824849-139-291436/Painting/and-now-we-race-tdf21-138.html

TDF, Stage 12: Keep Working!

As I painted this, I assumed that both Harry Sweeny (Lotto Soudal) and Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) were encouraging there two companions, Imanol Erviti (Movistar) and Stefan Kung (Groupaman-FDJ) to keep working together.  The quartet had built up a 56 second lead on their erstwhile break away companions and were now 15 minutes ahead of the peloton.  This is clearly the biggest gap a break has gotten on the peloton in this edition of the Tour.

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/3822715-75-291436/Painting/keep-working-tdf21-74.html