Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 2: Slow Motion Sprint

The main reason for the rather dispirited sprint was not the uphill rise to the line in Mauriac.  Rather, it was the fact that the current woman wearing the Maillot Vert of best sprinter, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) didn't jump out of the group to vie for sprint points with the Maillot Jaune on the shoulders of Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx-Protime).  In fact the only one to come out of the peloton with Kopecky was Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Uno-x).  The major points had been grapped by the three women up the road, but nevertheless this sprint increased Kopecky's lead in the sprint competition.

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-2023/3967567-152-297438/Painting/slow-motion-sprint-tdff23-8.html

 

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 4: Uncontested

While the major points in the sprint were already up the road in the three woman break away, it was a little odd that the intermediate sprint wasn't really contested.  As the peloton arrived at Bar sur Seine, they seemed to let Lorean Wiebes (DSM) go over the line first without really challenging her.  She sits in second place in the competition but Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) is in the Maillot Jaune, so the wearing of the jersey falls to Wiebes.  Following her across the line to the cheers of fans lining the road were Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) and her own teammate, Pfeiffer Georgi.  Kopecky is sitting third in the competition for the sprinters' green jersey, but loss two points for the woman ahead of her (both on the road and in the points tally).

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-2022/3896022-162-294403/Painting/uncontested-tdff22-21.html

Gent-Wevelgem Women '22: Appearing When It Matters

All race long Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) had been lurking around the back of the peloton allowing her teammates to chase down all of the attacks (it is their job since she is the team leader). Yet here she was showing herself just when being seen meant she was able to take out the victory in the eleventh edition of the women's Gent-Wevelgem.  Just off camera it was last year's winner Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) taking second, with Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT) taking the last step of the podium.  Perhaps because she kept going in all of the break away attempts, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) had to settle for fouth on the day.  Those waving the Belgium flag behind the mass sprint would have dearly prefered the Belgium champion to have one rather than the Italian in the World Champion's Rainbow Jersey.

This is the last of this race's paintings.  I'll be back next week with both the men's and women's Ronde Van Vlaanderen.  There will be more races after that with the big one being both the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes this July.

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 $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3875783-40-207546/Painting/appearing-when-it-matters-gw22-13.html

La Course, Wanting to Be Queen

While I watched the two races in reverse order, it was the women who first raced around the streets of Nice and up the Cote de Rimiez.  Unlike the men, the women's race started out by going straight for the climb to the Queen of the Mountain points.  With such a blistering pace on the climb, it wasn't long before many of within the peloton found their day over before it even started.  As the peloton neared the summit, Christine Majerus (Boels-Dolmans), the oft champion of Luxembourg, jumped free to collect the maximum points on the climb.  If the same rules were applied as for the men, it means she claims the Maillot a Pois of Queen of the Mountains.  Giving chase was Maria Guila Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT) and it was Dani Christmas (Lotto Soudal Ladies) taking second over the cote for the first time.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3686988-6-282744/Painting/wanting-to-be-queen-lc20-1.html