Tour de France Stage 7: Looking for the Pack

Anthony Delaplace (Bretagne Seche) takes a quick peak under his arm to see just how close the chasing peloton had gotten.  The quartet that included his teammate, Brice Feillu, along with Luis Mate (Cofidis) and Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida).  Daniel Telkehaimant (MTN-Qhubeka) had already drifted back to the peloton having accomplished the objective of the day.  The others had pushed on despite the near certainty of being caught by the sprinters and their teams.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company (www.richesonart.com).  They are a wonderful family run art supply company located in the northern mid-west of the United States.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, this is an original watercolor, so when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578936---210122/Painting.html#.VaAZZPlViko

Tour de France Stage 7: A Dream Fulfilled

The feel good story of this Tour, so far, is that of the Eritrean, Daniel Telkehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka).  As the story is being reported, as a young kid in Africa he would watch tapes of the Tour de France and dream of one day getting to race the Grand Boucle.  Rather than imagine himself in the Maillot Jaune, he would imagine himself wearing the Maillot a Pois.  Here he is this many years later, wearing the jersey as the fruit of his labors from Stage 6.  With one Category 4 climb at the start of the stage today, Telkeaimanet went in the break that was formed by Luis Mate (Cofidis).  The pair were joined by the pair of riders from Bretagne-Seche, Anthony Delaplace and Brice Feillu, and Kristijan Durasck (Lampre-Merida).  With the pancake flat stage elevation after the small climb, this stage was sure to be one for the sprinters, but if you don't go in the break, you have no chance of winning the stage.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company (www.richesonart.com).  They are a wonderful family run art supply company located in the northern mid-west of the United States.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, this is an original watercolor, so when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578922---210122/Painting.html#.VaAVPflViko

Tour de France Stage 7: Grabbing a Bite

Luis Mate (Cofidis) reaches out to grab a musette from his soigneur while riding through the feed zone.  Mate was one of five riders to get into the early break.  Musettes are canvas bags that are handed over to the competitors at designated areas on the course.  Those racing in the Tour will burn around 6,000 calories in a typical stage so keeping themselves topped up is importance.  No rider wants to get to the end of the stage with nothing left in the tank.  Thank of the Feed Zone as a NASCAR pit stop, however in a bike race, nobody stops to refuel.  This is all done on the fly.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company (www.richesonart.com).  They are a wonderful family run art supply company located in the northern mid-west of the United States.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, this is an original watercolor, so when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578902---210122/Painting.html#.VaASIflViko

Tour Stage 13: Heating Up

The men of the Tour de France have faced most every kind of weather in the 101st running of the Grand Boucle, today it was bright sun and temperatures in the mid 90s Fahrenheit.  The domestiques spent all of their time cycling back to the team car, ferrying bottles up to the team and then dropping back to the team car again.  As the peloton hit the lower slopes of the Col du Palaquit, Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) left the peloton in search of what was left of the break away.  Every kilometer of the Tour has been watched by thousands of fans lining the road, most in towns and strategic climbs, but like this father and kids, they are everywhere hoping to glimpse their heroes and all that is a pro tour race.  I just wonder what mom was doing while dad had the kids along the side of the road.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published book of the 101st Tour de France art, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order a copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bringing the art of the sport we love to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent incentives for backers at every level starting at $5 USD.  Everyone who backs the project will have their name included in the special thanks page.  If you would like to purchase this painting directly, just follow the link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2404786---199992/Painting.html#.U8mlAc_D_IU

Tour Stage 11: Most Combative

Tony Martin (OPQS) has had an incredible two days of racing, winning stage 9 on a very long solo break away and claiming the King of the Mountains Jersey.  He then followed that up riding on the front for tens of kilometers up and down climb after climb setting up his teammate, Michal Kwiatkowski, for a chance at the Maillot Jaune.  The two days of racing has earned him the title of the "Most Combative Rider" for both stages.  Other than the honor of the title, he is given a red racing bib number showing everyone in the peloton that this is a rider willing to take a risk and ride hard.  He, is joined in the second group on the road by Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) and a rider from Team Europcar.  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 book, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become part of bringing the tome of the Tour 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2403860---199992/Painting.html#.U8dwvc_D_IU

Tour Stage 6: Postponing the Inevitable

With two of their break away companions already back in the embrace of the peloton, Luis Mate (Cofidis) looked over at Jerome Pineau (IAM Cycling) and sprinted off on his own.  Initially, Pineau gave chase to the Spaniard, and then thought better of the effort.  Mate may have only been postponing the inevitable catch by the peloton, but he wasn't going to be caught with out a fight.  After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  This image also caught my eye with the truly French tree lined road cutting through the wheat and flax fields on the northern flat lands.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com  In addition, this painting will appear in my soon to be self published tome, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy, or to get involved in bringing the art of the 101st Tour de France, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not browse around at all of the cycling art on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2400102---199992/Painting.html#.U78oec_D_IU

Tour Stage 6: No Place to Hide

Northern France, known as the "Bread Basket" is wide open and flat.  Not the best circumstance for the break away, their chances are much better when the road helps to hide them from view.  That didn't stop Jerome Pineau (IAM Cycling), Tom Leezer (Belkin Pro Cycling), Luis Mate (Cofidis) and Arnaud Gerard (Bretagne-Seche) from trying to beat the odds.  Jens Voigt explains why riders go in the break away by saying, "If you go for the break you have maybe a 10% chance of wining the stage, if you don't go you have a 0% chance."  Then their is the TV air time for the team sponsors to be considered in the equation.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  It will also be part of my soon to be self-published cycling art book, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy, and to find out how to be involved in bring this artistic story of the 101st Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour  If you would like 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%202014/2400092---199992/Painting.html#.U78lk8_D_IU

Tour Stage 4: A Cheeky Move

Even before the end of the neutral zone, the part of the stage where the rider process through the start town before the true racing gets underway, you could see Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) itchy to jump away from the dropping of the flag.  He was quickly joined by Luis Mate (Cofidis) and the two set off on a long attempt on a flat stage.  So yes, it was a repeat of the script into London from Stage 3, down to only two men deciding to give the break a go.  I was surprised that the peloton let Voeckler go, it was several years ago that they made the same gamble and he ended up wearing the Maillot Juane for ten days.  On that occasion, he won the hearts of the French people by staving off Lance Armstrong's bid to win another Tour.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition this painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will appear in my soon to be self published tome on the 2014 Tour de France, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy, or to get involved in bringing the 101st Tour de France to print please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour  If you would like 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%202014/2398324-25-24-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U7xZxc_D_IU