Fleche Wallonne '26: Shades of Mont Ventoux

I admit that this title is a bit of a deep dive into pro-cycling history (and my paintings of the Tour de France).  I refer to when Chris Froome (riding for Sky - the team now known as Ineos-Grenadiers) crashed into a race moto near the finish of the climb of Mont Ventoux.  I was naturally reminded of and amused by this scene of Axel Laurance (Ineos-Grenadiers) running along with his bike in hopes that his team car will soon arrive before the peloton is too far ahead.  I should note that this time he took his bike with him unlike Froome so long ago.  Passing him (still on his bike) is Eduard Prades (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA).  All of this was occuring under the watchful eye of one of the race commissares on the back of a motorcycle (the guy in the red jacket just ahead of the cyclists).

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. 

"Shades of Mont Ventoux FW26-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)

 

Paris Roubaix '26: Closer and Closer

After his trials in the Forest of Arenberg, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) was forced to chase hard and mainly on his own in hopes of regaining the front of the race.  Forty kilometers after the forest he had seventy-seven seconds helped occasionally by Flippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers).  They were followed by the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe teammates, Gianni Vermeersch and Tim Van Dijke along with someone from TotalEnergies.  The others seemed either unable or unwilling to help in the effort of recatching those up the road.

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. 

"Closer and Closer PR26-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 19: An Unbelievable Finish

For the second time in this Tour de France, Thymen Arensman (Ineos-Grenadiers) covered his face in disbelief as he won a mountain top finish in the rain.  He did it in the Pyrenees with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) chasing him all of the way up the climb.  The first time he had been in the early breakaway and just manage to be the last member of the early break that wasn't caught by the Tadej.  Today, he actually attacked the group with the yellow jersey on the way up the final climb.  When he went, Tadej and Jonas looked at each other and neither went after the tall Dutchman.  Behind him, almost catching him in the last fifty meters, was Vingegaard just getting the better of Pogacar.  Just in the distance you can see the white jersey of Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who lost the leading two in the last kilometer of the stage.  Those three represent the top three of this Tour.  Most likely the podium is now set.  Likewise, the jersey seemed to be set, too.  Pogacar has both Yellow and Polka Dots.  Lipowitz has the White, and way, way, way down the mountain Jonathan Milan has the Green Jersey.  The mountains are now done, and there are just two more stages to race including Paris.  

Tomorrow starts the Tour de France Femmes and I will be painting them every stage, every day, 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. 

"An Unbelievable Finish TdF25-102" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 18: Back Up to the Leaders

As the breakaway hit the base of the Col du Madeleine Thymen Arensman (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) went off the front of the breakaway.  While they had dropped the others with another seventeen kilometers to climb, they managed to come back led by Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-Ag2r-La Mondiale) leading his team leader Felix Gall.  Behind them is a resurgent Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).  I honestly can't remember who else was in the group but they all had a bit over three minutes on the Yellow Jersey 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.  

"Back Up to the Leaders TdF25-119" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 16: Starting Ventoux with 6 Minutes

This quartet hit the start of the only climb of the day, Mont Ventoux, with six minutes on the peloton containing the Yellow Jersey.  They were being led up to the official start of the climb (they have been climbing for a while now) by Thyme Aremsman (Ineos-Grenadiers).  The Dutchman was followed in turn by Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling), Enric Mas (Movistar), and Simone Velasco (XDS-Astana).  The group will be cheered all of the way up by the tens of thousands of fans lining virtually every meter of the climb.  While they have six minutes over the peloton the bulk of the remainder of the large early breakaway is now climbing behind them in multiple groups ahead of the Maillot Jaune.

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.

"Starting Ventoux with 6 Minutes TdF25-105" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 15: Has the Fire Gone Out?

The seven guys who had been with Tim Wellens had tried hard to chase down the former Belgium time trialist.  At twelve kilometers to go they had lost a minute and thirty-nine seconds to the lone leader.  It just seemed to me that the fire had gone out of the chase as Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling), Alexey Lutsenko (Israel-Premier Tech), Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike), Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), Alexsandr Vlasov (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Warren Barguil (Picnic-PostNL), and Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos-Grenadiers) free-wheeled down one of the many rollers into the finish town of Carcassone.  Perhaps they had switched their thinking to how can I get second on the stage.  Carlos Rodriguez was the only one with GC aspirations.  If he could keep the group's advantage over the peloton he would move up from tenth to nineth ahead of tomorrow's rest day.

Side note, with just two kilometers to race, Campenaerts jumped free and claimed second over the combined chase groups led home by none other than Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) who had started his day on the ground holding his injured shoulder.

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.

"Has the Fire Gone Out? TdF25-100" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 15: Looking for Opportunities

As the peloton tried to re-sort itself as it went under the 92 kilometers to go, it was Tobias Foss (Ineos-Grenadiers), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Danny Van Poppel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Jonathan Navarez (UAE Team Emirates) pushing their way off the front.  The image of Navarez is what happens when you paint from live images without knowing what happens next.  Because this was a shot from a helicopter flying high above, I thought Navarez's kit was that of Alpecin-Deceuninck so I painted it that way.  Once I restarted the stream of the race, I figured out it was the UAE Team Emirates' Ecuadorian National Champion's jersey.  I tried my best to adjust the painting, but there isn't much one can do with watercolors.  Nothing came of this move, they were seen back in the peloton not long after I painted this.  This particular banner is sponsored by the Department Hauts en Siene the 92nd department (think of it as the 92nd state of France).  

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.

"Looking for Opportunities TdF25-96" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 14: It Took Everything

I admit that I get a bit tired of the arms spread wide as the solo stage winner performs for the hundreds of press photographers snapping away across the finishing line.  After Thymen Arensman (Ineos-Grenadiers) had done the required pose, he dropped his head down, tucked in his elbows and shortly here after collapsed to the roadway.  The Dutchman went away on the previous climb and held off the best climbers in the world to claim his first Tour de France stage victory!  He also gave his team (that use to dominate the Tour de France) its first stage win in two years.  Chapeau!

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.

"It Took Everything TdF24-94" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 14: Not Pleased!

I am not sure what Tobias Halland Johannesen (Uno X-Mobility) did to so piss off Thymen Arensman (Ineos-Grenadiers), but Arensman had quite a lot to say to the Norwegian.  Behind the two combatants, Lenny Martinez just got on with trying to gain as many King of the Mountains points as he could.  Perhaps Johannesen should have provoked the Belgium.  Just after I painted this, Arensman attacked, and neither of his current companions ever saw him again.  Martinez went over the Peyresourde second thus locking up his reclamations of his Maillot a Pois for at least one more 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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Not Pleased! TdF25-91" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 11: Stuck in the Middle

This group of five were stuck about halfway between the early breakaway and the peloton.  There were some big names of the Tour pushing the pace as they rode up the Cote de Corronsac.  The fans were thrilled to find Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) chasing a stage victory.  They were joined in the effort by the ever-aggressive American Champion, Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) and Axel Laurance (Ineos-Grenadiers).  It was funny to me that the gendarme is blowing his whistle as if that was going to calm the screeching fans beside him.  I doubt they even heard him for all the noise they were making themselves.

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. 

"Stuck in the Middle TdF25-69" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 7: Still Here

It was a bit different to see a former winner of the Tour de France off the front in a five-man breakaway.  But here is Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadier) stocking up on gels as he rides along the Emerald Coast.  He joined Ivan Romeo (Movistar), Marco Haller (Tudor Pro Cycling), Ewan Costiou (Arkea-B&B Hotels) and Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) in another valiant effort to take stage honors away from the GC men.  With the quick final double climb of the Mur de Bretagne, it wasn't likely that any of the sprinters were going to be around for the finale, so it was a reasonably good chance for a break to succeed again today.  However, at 97 kilometers to race, the UAE led peloton has kept the break to only a minute and forty second advantage.

This is Geraint's final Tour de France, so I did want to take the opportunity to paint him one last time. He won back in 2018, the second year the time-lapse videos of my artwork were shared during the NBC Sports broadcasts of 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. 

"Still Here TdF25-41" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 5 ITT: Swoosh!

One of the things I try to do is make sure I paint a least one guy from every team participating in the Tour.  Today, I was looking to paint the remaining four out of the twenty-three teams (and increase from previous years).  I only managed to add one to that total.  This is Tobais Foss (Ineos-Grenadiers) the current Norwegian Time Trial Champion.  Ineos as added TotalEnergies as another sponsor and has done a terrible job of integrating the company's logo into their regular race kit.  That may be why I choose the Norwegian champion's kit to paint.  I will miss that long stripe down the back of the jersey that has been part of their kit since they were known as Team Sky.  He finished his day fourteenth in the stage. He moved himself up thirteen places, but still sits way back in the general classification.

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. 

"Swoosh! TdF25-26" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 6: And He Is Gone!

Once Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) realized his erstwhile breakaway companion, Michael Leonard (Ineos-Grenadiers), would be unable to work anymore, he was off.  The Frenchman on the American team was a local cyclist who knew this climb up the Cote de Domancy very well.  He was cheered on by fans and neighbors all of the way up to the line.  Sadly, he was caught and passed by the battle for the Maillot Jaune.  He was able to hang tough to finish sixth on the day.  Moreover, his efforts not only earned him the most combative rider's award, he also becomes the new owner of the Maillot a Pois by a single point.  To remind you the polka dot jersey (Maillot a Pois) is award to the rider with the most King of the Mountain points.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"And He Is Gone! CdD25-32" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 6: Who's Left

I probably should have added a question mark to this title, since Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) is looking back over his breakaway companion Michael Leonard (Ineos-Grenadiers) to see where everyone has gone.  However, it works as a statement too.  Afterall, these two are the only ones left of the early morning breakaway.  As they continued to increase their advantage as they climb the Cote du Mont Saxonnex.  If the top of the general classification just watches each other up the remaining climbs, they may have a chance for the stage.  Sadly, there is about zero percent chance of that happening on the final paired climbs of the day, particularly since the top of the final one is today's finish line.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Who's Left CdD25-30" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 5: From the Front

Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech) led out the sprint from the front.  None of the big-name sprinters were able to close in on the young Brit.  Remember, he was the sprinter that almost caught the escaped GC riders in the wild first stage of this Dauphine.  Behind him, it was Axel Laurance (Ineos-Grenadiers) taking a second, Soren Waerenskjold (Uno X-Mobility) took third and Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) managed to take fourth.  So, today was, in fact, a day for the sprinters, and some new names were able to show their prowess.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"From the Front CdD25-28" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 5: Poursuivants

As the Lidl-Trek led peloton slowed on the climb of the Col de Boubon in hopes of keeping their sprinter in the bunch, this trio saw the chance to slip away.  Started by Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), he was quickly joined by Gregor Muhlberger (Movistar) and Tobias Foss (Ineos-Grenadiers).  To translate the title, this trio was pursuing the five men that were another twenty-eight seconds up the road.  While they did build up a half of a minute on the peloton, they never got any closer to the early breakaway.  It wasn't too much longer before they found the peloton sucking them back into the fold.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Poursuivants CdD25-24" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix '25: Looking for the Peloton

The early breakaway built up over three minutes on the peloton before they hit the cobblestones of Paris Roubaix.  With another 106 kilometers to race Ben Turner (Ineos-Grenadiers) looked back over his shoulder in search of the chasing peloton.  At this point, his advantage, along with Rory Townsend (Q36.5 Pro Cycling), Max Walker (EF Education-EasyPost), Abram Stockman (Unibet-Tietma-Rockets) was down to just fifty seconds.  There are two others in this group, but since their kilometers out front are coming to a close, I'll leave you to figure out who they are.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Looking for the Peloton PR25-8" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 8: A Collaborative Effort

Once Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) had gone through the intermediate sprint on the Col d'Eze, thus winning the final Maillot Vert, he then collaborated with Magnus Sheffield (Ineos-Grenadiers) on the way into the finale in Nice.  The two were hoping to vie for stage honors in another thirteen kilometers whilst holding off a chasing Matteo Jorgenson.  It worked out that Sheffield dropped the spent Pedersen shortly after this moment.  It is perhaps what Pedersen was telling the American on the British team.  I don't have much left; but I'll give you one more pull before I pull the plug.  Pedersen was the twentieth guy to come across the line, but no matter he had kept the green points jersey.  Whereas Sheffield went on to take the stage by twenty-nine seconds over Jorgenson, finally giving his team the stage win they had hoped for all week long.

Sheffield moved himself into fourth overall, just behind his teammate (and team leader) Thymen Arensman. Again, there just wasn't a good enough image of Sheffield winning along the marina on the Boulevard des Anglais, so this will have to function as his winning painting.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"A Collaborative Effort PN25-36" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 7: Some Big Names Out Front

It was a large group of fifteen riders that got off of the front of the peloton today.  It was a shorten stage due to the foul weather.  With only 110 kilometers to race, these guys building an over three-minute lead on the peloton containing the Maillot Jaune was significant.  To names that I was surprised to see let lose were Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) and Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost).  The former was here riding for his teammate Michael Storer, but Powless was hoping to make up for suffering so much in the cold these past two stages.  Joining these two are Josh Tarling (Ineos-Grenadiers), Fred Wrightk (Bahrain-Victorious) and Bruno Armirail (Decathlon-Ag2r-La Mondiale) amongst others.  With just thirteen kilometers of climbing left, it was looking likely that one of these fifteen would be vying for stage honors in the Queen Stage of Paris Nice.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"Some Big Names Out Front PN25-30" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 6: It Was a Close One

Out of the seventeen that came together into Berre l'Etang, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was the clear favorite for the sprint finale.  What I didn't see coming was just how hard Josh Tarling (Ineos-Grenadiers) pushed the Danish former World Champion for the win.  I suspect that had there been another 100 meters it would have gone to Tarling.  Tarling's teammate Sam Watson was able to just get by a fading Axel Zingle (Visma-Lease a Bike) to take third.  Everyone in the group moved themselves up in the general classification.  With these results, Matteo Jorgenson (Zingle's teammate) now has a forty second advantage over Florian Lipowitz who was in this group as well.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"It Was a Close One PN25-27" (Original art by Greig Leach)