Tour '25, Stage 12: Alone at the Top!

Actually, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) was alone since the second kilometer of the climb to the top of Hautacam.  But not only did he come to the summit alone, he now sits alone at the top of the general classification.  He put a bit over two minutes into Vingegaard on the way up, reversing what had happened the last time the duo raced each other on the fabled climb three years ago.  He now has a three-and-a-half-minute lead over his main rival in the quest for Yellow.  This is his third stage victory of this Tour and the third time he will claim the Maillot Jaune.  I doubt he will lose it again for the remaining nine stages.  I guess the real question is, what will be his advantage in Paris?

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. 

"Alone at the Top! TdF25-81" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold, and done so rather quickly.

Tour '25, Stage 12: Riding for Himself

I knew this moment would come eventually.  The young Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) had started the day four seconds ahead of his team leader, Primoz Roglic.  As the attacks started near the bottom of the Hautacam, Lipowitz stayed with Roglic in hopes that his leader would recover and be able to at least limit his loses on the climb through the screaming fans lining both sides of the narrow road.  I can only assume that Roglic and/or their sports director said go!  The youngster went hard closing swiftly on the two guys up the road in the final kilometers to the summit.  He finished the stage in third place two minutes and twenty-three seconds behind the stage winner, but only thirteen seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard.  He now sits fourth on the general classification, just forty-nine seconds off of the podium and the Maillot Blanc.  When, I said I knew this would come, he was my pick for stage honors and a member of my Tour de France fantasy team.  

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 for Himself TdF25-80" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 12: Recovering on the Climb

The young French rising star of this Tour, Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) had been dropped in the first kilometer or two of the Hautacam, but he found his climbing legs as the twelve-kilometer ascent sloughed on.  He settled himself, found his rhythm and started clawing back those who had dropped him not long ago.  He proved that one can recover in a race, even in the middle of a tough, long climb. He finished the day fifth on the stage. Coincidentally, he moved himself to fifth in the general classification as well.  He is now less than a minute off of the Tour podium, and the same amout of time needed to reclaim the Maillot Blanc of best young rider.  He is the best place Frenchman in the Tour.

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.

"Recovering on the Climb TdF25-79" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 12: Setting Him Up

In the opening kilometers of the Hautacam Tadej Pogacar's last teammate Jhonathan Navarez (UAE Team Emirates) dug as deep as he could before swinging off the front.  Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) was right there when it was playing out, but Tadej was off like a shot.  Like I have learned Quinn Simmons' tell, I have also learned that when Vingegaard looks back over his shoulder, he is on his limit.  Pogacar doesn't look back and see it, he is just that confident in his own abilities.  The last time these two raced this climb in 2022, Vingegaard took three minutes out of Tadej, but that was in the final link of the race.  Today, Pogacar is hoping to reverse that result.  The Dane didn't take the bidon his soigneur was trying to pass over as the trio rode over a spray-painted Dutch flag.

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.

"Setting Him Up TdF25-78" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Tour '22, Stage 18: The Stage, Another Jersey, & Probably the Tour

After multiple attempts by Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) it was Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) finally dropping Pogacar and going alone to the top of the Hautacam.  As they started the climb, Wout Van Aert finally dropped back to help his leader.  As he joined his other teammate Sepp Kuss, Kuss swung off and Van Aert upped the pace yet again.  That was the pace that finally broke Pogacar.  Vingegaard put another minute and four seconds into the man in the Maillot Blanc, plus another four seconds in time bonuses.  I do think that will be more than enough to hold off the superior time trial artists, Pogacar and Geraint Thomas.  Chapeau, Jonas!  or should I say Tillykke!

Oh yes, I almost forgot, with the win atop the Hautacam Vingegaard also is the new leader in the King of the Mountains.  While technically, Simon Geschke is in second place now in the King of the Mountains competion he will be wearing the Maillot a Pois at the start tomorrow.  Obviously, the Yellow Jersey takes precidence over the Polka Dot one.

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g  

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895209-121-294403/Painting/the-stage-another-jersey-and-probably-the-tour-tdf22-122.html

Tour '22, Stage 18: It's All You Now

 On the final climb of the day, and the Tour for that matter, Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) had done everything he could to pull his team captain up the climb and the general classification.  As he swung off the front he almost came to a complete stop such was his effort on behalf of David Gaudu.  He was helped by some of the Basque fans who gave him a push until he could get going again.  That is technically illegal, but since he didn't gain a real advantage the referee in the car behind him won't care.  He can be pleased to know that is effort wasn't in vain.  Gaudu finished fifth on the day and moved up to fourth on the GC.

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g  

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895207-120-294403/Painting/its-all-you-now-tdf22-121.html

Tour Stage 18: He Has Done What He Wanted

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) seems to have been able to do whatever he wanted on the bike.  He picked up his fourth stage win on the top of one of the fabled monsters of the Pyrenees, the Hautacam.  He apparently gave away the Yellow Jersey for one stage to give his team a break, and then took it back at will.  He has won on a climb in the United Kingdom, in the Alps and now in the Pyrenees.  I think he wanted today's stage victory to say to all that this Tour was his and he would have had the better of whomever had been there to race against him.  As he raised his arms in celebration, he was joined by those in the team car behind apparently allowed to follow their victorious rider to the line, rather than being required to turn off as per usual.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com. This painting will also be included in my soon to be self published collection of all of my 101st Tour de France artwork in the "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the project, or to pre order your copy, or to discover how to become a part of bringing this beautiful race 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, but don't you want to get a copy of the book too?  Sure you do!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408006---199992/Painting.html#.U9HtAc_D_IU

Tour Stage 18: Down to Seconds

Although there was no hope of catching the soaring Niblai, the next four men on the road were racing for time gaps that would be measured in seconds.  Nibali had almost six minutes on the second place rider, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), the next four placings were separated by under three minutes.  So it was that Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Jean-Christophe Peraud (AG2R) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC) were going as hard as they could, having dropped Valverde.  With 800 meters left to race in the high mountains, Pinot was the virtual second overall and his countryman, Peraud was onto the podium in third.  Tucked onto their wheels was the Polka Dot clad, Rafal Majka, who had his own chasing to do.  If Nibali won the stage (as he was sure to do) Majka was going to have to finish in the top six on the stage to keep his spotted prize all the way to Paris.  Tejay just wanted to hold his sixth and have the personal satisfaction of redeeming his one bad day in the mountains.  Behind them all, capturing every pedal stroke were the daredevil camera men, standing on the back of a motorcycle with a video camera on their shoulders.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  This painting and all of my cycling art from 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 of the book, or to discover how you can become part of bringing the art of this Tour 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%202014/2408002---199992/Painting.html#.U9HpKM_D_IU

Tour Stage 18: Who Has Got the Legs?

Once Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida) had gone off, taking the Maillot Jaune of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) along for the ride up the road, the rest of the peloton looked around sizing each other up.  Both Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) looked at each other and then into the eyes of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).  They must have seen something in the eyes of Valverde that let them know he wouldn't be able to go with another attack.  Pinot, sitting in third, could take over Valverde's second place on the GC if he only got just under two minutes on the Spaniard.  Behind this group where the other two Frenchman of AG2R, that were high up on the leader board, Jean-Christophe Peraud and Romain Bardet.  With just this last climb to gain time in this stage, and an individual time trial yet to come, it was now or never to move up on the General Classification.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  This painting and all of my cycling art from 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 of the book, or to discover how you can become part of bringing the art of this Tour 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%202014/2407992---199992/Painting.html#.U9HllM_D_IU

Tour Stage 18: The Old Man Attacks

Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida) is the second oldest man of the Tour de France peloton, just a couple of months younger than Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing).  Horner, now able to ride for himself since Rui Costa was forced to retire from the Tour due to illness.  Horner has been riding well, particularly given the serious train wreck that he experienced early in the season, a wreck that nearly left him unable to walk again and by all rights, should have been the end of his career.  The professional peloton his made up of men that simply won't quit regardless of the hardships they have endured.  But to be able to race flat out for 21 days with short stages covering over a hundred kilometers, the mental and physical fortitude of these cyclists simply won't allow themselves to throw in the towel.  Many of those that have left the race have done so after finishing a stage with broken bones.  When Horner made his attack, the only man who could go with him was the Yellow Jersey of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) who used Horner's move as a spring board for an attack of his own.   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 tome, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your signed copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bringing the 101st Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some great Backer incentives with rewards starting for pledges as little as $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%202014/2407976---199992/Painting.html#.U9HgU8_D_IU