Tour Femmes '26, Stage 8: Battling for Yellow

After the final climb of the day, the course in Nice threw up a little surprise climb.  That is where Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) launched her final attack.  Just a several hundred meters to climb, Vollering finally cracked Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM).  Vollering was most eager to do to the Maillot Jaune what she had done to her to earn it.  It also seems that whoever wears the green bib number is unable to match the accelerations of others the next day.  So it was for the Niewiadoma today.  As she chased down to Nice, she as joined by Elisa Longo Borghini, but was unable to help her chase down Vollering to save her yellow jersey.  She now trails Vollering by eight seconds.  I should point out that when she won the Tour de France Femmes two years ago, she did so by a mere four seconds.  Sounds like we are setting up for a spectacular final stage in and around 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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Battling for Yellow TdFF26-54" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →

Tour Femmes '26, Stage 1: Down into the Valley

The course out through the countryside around Lusanne, Switzerland was just breathtakingly beautiful.  I doubt the quartet of Idora Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi), Nikola Noskova (Cofidis), Maud Rijnbeek (VolkerWessels), and Oceane Mahe (Ma Petite Enterprise) had much time to soak in the vistas as they built their advantage over the peloton.  With eighty-five kilometers yet to race, they have built up and a lead of almost five minutes on the confident peloton.  They were claiming all of the Queen of the Mountain points out on course, and managed to suck up the sprint points as well.  Would they be able to hold off the peloton up the final rise to the finish?

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.

Purchase this painting here: "Down into the Vallery TdFF26-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Learn more about Greig Leach at The Art of Cycling: About the Artist: Greig Leach

And learn about Leach's published books at The Art of Cycling: Cycling Books by Greig Leach

Learn More About the Artist →    

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 7: Gainers & Losers

As the peloton climbed the Col du Granier, Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) in her Maillot Jaune lost contact with the group of favorites now twenty-nine seconds up the road.  Behind her, Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL) was moving herself into the Maillot Blanc of best young rider, taking it off of Julie Bego (Cofidis) who had held it since the first day of the Tour Femmes.  Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) & Alice Maria Arzuffi (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacioin Euskadi) were thrilled to have two wheels that will work tirelessly to regain the front of the race.  Le Court used the drop off the other side of the mountain to chase back onto the group that had dropped her on the way up.  She came to the line a minute behind the stage winner in sixth place nestled in the group of favorites.  She remains the the Maillot Jaune of race leader ending the day not losing a single second to her rivals for the final Yellow Jersey on Sunday.

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.

"Gainers & Losers TdFF25-41" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 5: With a Big Advantage

Although you can only see four women, there is a fifth on the front of the group.  Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) has just swung off from doing her effort to maintain the three and a half minutes that she, along with Caralina Anais Soto Campos (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi), Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatley), and Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) were defending.  It is a strong group, two are their nation's champions and one is the former champion of her nation.  I almost painted the peloton going through this same point but had decided the image wasn't strong enough before I realized I had almost done another repeat location.

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.

"With a Big Advantage TdFF25-25" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 5: Bookends

As the peloton road up through down a few were finding the pace a bit tough, Emilie Morier (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) & Emily Watts follow their teammates onto the tail of the peloton.  Struggling to hold on as well was Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) all being photographed by a lone fan on one side of the road and a swarm on the other.  The title comes from the fact that Santestevan's teammate is up the road by four minutes in a five-woman breakaway, so the team is bookending the race today.

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.

"Bookends TdFF25-23" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 4: Need Must

Bridget and I watch a lot of British crime shows and we have come to love the expression, "needs must."  It is not something we say here in the States, but it applies here.  There are no time-outs in cycling so when Catalina Anais Soto (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) - the Chilean champion - had a problem with the gears the mechanic leaned way out of the moving car to repair it has best he could.  On the front of the race the crosswinds were starting to break up the peloton so she couldn't afford to stop for a bike change.  Ergo, needs must.  This scares me every time I see it.  I don't remember seeing it once in the men's race.  At least if it happened on screen, I didn't paint it.

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.

"Needs Must TdFF25-18" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 3: Looking at Each Other

There is a saying in bike racing that states, "You have to be willing to lose in order to win."  I think the trio of Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatley), Catalina Anais Soto (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi), and Sara Martin (Movistar) were taking the saying to heart.  They along with the fourth companion had been working well together until Martin attacked the others.  Once done, no one was willing to work together.  Instead, each would attack the other.  They would come back together and then someone else would try again, and again, and again.  While they were doing this, the peloton was going about the business of chasing them down.  They were caught about two kilometers after I painted this moment.  Still each thought they couldn't afford to go to the line with the others, neither could they afford to risk trying to outsprint the marquee sprinters currently twenty-seven seconds behind them.

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 at Each Other TdFF25-15" (Original art by Greig Leach) 

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 3: Analog

The breakaway was a strong one as evidenced by the fact that there were three national champions in the four-woman group.  They had built four minutes on the peloton and with forty-six kilometers they still had roughly two and a half minutes on the peloton.  They were working well together, each taking a pull than like Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatley) than dropping back to the back of the group to wait for their turn again.  Now it was Clemence Latimier (Arkea-B&B Hotels) on the front followed in turn Catalin Anais Soto (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) and then Sara Martin (Movistar).  Martin is in her Spanish Champion's jersey, Soto in her Chilean jersey and Jackson her Canadian one.  The peloton wasn't gaining all that quickly mainly due to how well the quartet was working with each other.

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. 

"Analog TdFF25-13" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Femmes '25, Stage 1: Joining Forces

Laura Tomasi (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) who had been the first to attack in the first kilometer of this Tour de France Femmes, looks back to find Maud Rijnbeck (VolkerWessels) bridging up to her wheel.  The two set about working together to hold off the peloton.  At least they did until the first climb appeared on the horizon.  From the very start of the race, I have been very pleased by the thousands upon thousands of fans that have come out to watch the women's peloton.

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. 

"Joining Forces TdFF25-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 4: Almost Back

The seventh categorized climb of the day, the Cote de la Redoute, split the peloton into multiple groups leaving these nine women to chase down the leaders.  On the back of the nine are Victoire Guilman (St. Michel-Mavic-Auber93), Silvia Perxico (UAE Team ADQ) along with Fem Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike), Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) and Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi).  Persico had been driving the pace all day and at this point is the virtual Queen of the Mountains.  With three more tough climbs yet to go before Liege, she may not claim the Polka Dots at the end of the day.  It is sure that someone new will pull on the Maillot a Pois on the podium this evening.

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.

"Almost Back TdFF24-18" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 1: Confirming Her Queenship

The next to try a slip the grip of the peloton was Cristina Tonetti (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi).  No one joined the Italian on the Basque team, but she was still able to build a minute's advantage on those behind.  She had little hope of going solo for the next 60 kilometers, but she did have another goal in mind.  As she came up out of the Maddadeltatunnel under the river, she looked back to make sure no one had bridged up to her (sorry about the soft pun).  With no one behind her, she confirmed that she will be the first to wear the Maillot a Pois of the Queen of the Mountains.  Calling it a mountain might be a bit of a stretch compared to what his coming, but then it isn't like there are many climbs to be found in the Netherlands.  This may be the first stage of either the men's or the women's Tour de France to have sections that are below sea level.

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.

"Confirming Her Queenship TdFF24-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 1: Not Letting Us Go

There was little chance of a breakaway going the distance today, but that didn't stop some from trying.  With 100 kilometers to race Iurani Blanco (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) looked back to find the peloton closing in.  She had gone off the front and build about a twenty second advantage with her companions Gaia Masetti (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka (Canyon/SRAM) before the peloton decided they weren't going to be allowed to ride away.  It is much easier on the teams of the sprinters to keep the race together than it is to chase a breakaway down at the end of the stage.

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.

"Not Letting Us Go TdFF24-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)