Tour '25, Stage 17: Making It Two!

In the last left turn before the peloton lined up for the sprint a large bunch crashed after someone (or two) slide out on the wet road.  Since the wreck happened at the front of the peloton a number of sprinters went down or were held up too long to vie for the stage victory.  I doubt any would have had the legs to get around Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) who claimed his second stage victory of his career and this Tour.  One of those caught out by the crash was Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) who is the only sprinter to beat Milan to the line, twice.  Today it was Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) with Pavel Bittner (Picnic-PostNL) taking the third step of the podium.  Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) sprinted to fourth today.  For Milan, his win today may mean he has done what he needed to keep the Maillot Vert all of the way to Paris.  It really depends on the coming intermediate sprints, and how the new course on the final day in Paris will be raced.

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.

"Making It Two TdF25-116" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 3: Doing Good?

Without a breakaway nor much of a challenge out on the road, it was a rather chill start to today's stage.  Everyone had some time to chat.  Everyone had plenty of time for "nature breaks."  With that, riders kept stopping and then coming back into the peloton.  As the Maillot Jaune of Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) came back up to the tail of the peloton, he tapped Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) just to check in.  The two are both Belgium sprinters, so I am sure this isn't the first time they have ever chatted.  There was quite a bit of checking in going on today as the kilometers rolled slowly (comparatively).  I do have to admit, the new Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe may be my new favorite team kit.

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.

"Doing Good? TdF25-13" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algarve '25, Stage 4: A Tough Finale

The final sprint (but not the final stage) saw Milan Fretin (Cofidis) take a clear win in a clean uphill sprint.  He was able to get the better of the Green Jersey of the points leader, Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).  Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers) claimed the last step of the stage podium edging out Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) and Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Girmay) at the line in Faro, Portugal.  Tomorrow, the race wraps up with an individual time trial.  It will be interesting to see how much the general classification is shaken up over the twenty kilometer course that ends atop the Malhao Category Two climb.

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 Tough Finale VA25-13" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algrave '25, Stage 3: It Counts this Time

This time when Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) outsprinted the peloton, it counted.  Behind him was Alberto Dainese (Tudor Cycling) followed by Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty) and the Belgium Champion Arnaud De Lie (Lotto).  While I didn't see a problem, Dainese was relegated so Girmay and De Lie moved up a step on the stage podium.  With his win today Meeus moves into the Green Jersey of the points leader.  Plus, I'm thrilled to see Girmay back at the pointy end of a stage after his brilliant 2024 Tour de 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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"It Counts this Time VA25-10" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algarve 25, Stage 1: WTF?

Having unknowingly gone of course, Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was less than pleased to discover that he had not one the stage.  In the roughly 80% of the peloton who had missed read the turn inside of the final kilometer, it was Meeus who outsprinted all of the other misguided sprinters.  I was wondering why the lone policeman pointed one way as the front of the peloton went the other way.  It became clear as most of the peloton was racing behind the crowds and the barriers, as just a handful of the riders went down the true finishing straight.  Kudos for Meeus for keeping a civil tongue in his moutn (at least as far as I know), but he did seem to question the one race official he saw.  I am assuming it was along the lines of "What the f**k?"  I sure would have.

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.

"WTF? VA25-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France 23, Stage 21: The Perfect Throw

I can't remember the last time the sprint on the Champs Elysees came down to a photo finish.  But then why would the finish of this Tour be anymore predictable than any other moment of this race.  It was a mad sprint to the line, that everyone expected the Maillot Vert on the shoulders of Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceunick).  After all he had already won four sprints in this Tour.  The only one to beat him on a slight uphill sprint was Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek).  The other of the group most likely to take the stage was Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-Alula).  The least likely was the Tour rookie, Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe).  Yet it was he who had the perfectly timed bike throw just barely edging out Philipsen.  Groenewegen took third and Pedersen just missed the podium.  Other than stage honors the results changed nothing, but it was exciting just the same.  For Meeus it will be life changing.  Today was his first professional victory, there is no bigger stage on which to perform, and he did it to a standing ovation.

This is the final painting of the Men's Tour de France, but fear not, I have seven more days of the Toru de France Femmes to paint yet.

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-2023/3967241-149-297438/Painting/the-perfect-throw-tdf23-144.html

 

Tour de France 23, Stage 8: You Got Me There

It looked like Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) was going to get the maximum available points at the intermediate sprint in Tucane Sanit Apre, but it wasn't to happen.  He was caught at the line by the man who is wearing the Maillot Vert of the best sprinter in this Tour, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), each has a teammate tucked in behind them as Meeus fist bumps his congratulations/admiration to Philipsen.  Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) continues to add to his sprint point tally, but has yet to get the better of Philipsen in any Tour sprint thus far.

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-2023/3964382-42-297438/Painting/you-got-me-there-tdf23-42.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 7: Not Yet Historical

We are all waiting to see if Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqstan) is going to win that thus far elusive 35th Tour de France stage victory.  At 100 meters to go itt really looked like today was going to be the day.  But he faded just a bit and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was able to surge to the line for his third win in this edition of the Tour de France.  On another possible historic note, Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Circus-Wanty) almost became the first black African to win a Tour stage, but he was bested by the seasoned sprinting veteran and the Maillot Vert (naturally, the best sprinter in this Tour thus far).  Girmay was a bit frustrated and may have felt as though his sprint had been impeded by Philipsen getting through the others to claim victory.  Behind the green jersey was Luca Mozzato (Arkea-Samsic) in fourth and Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) in fifth.

Cav may have another chance to break the all time stage record tomorrow, but it will be another five days until the next stage that truly suits the sprinters.

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-2023/3964294-41-297438/Painting/not-yet-historical-tdf23-41.html