Tour '26, Stage 21: Finishing It Off!

Amazingly, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) found the legs after chasing Tadej Pogacar to hold off the fast-closing peloton in the finally six hundred meters of the Tour de France.  As he did the sprinter's bike throw he looked to his right to see his teammate Jasper Philipsen celebrating.  At first, I thought that Philipsen had outsprinted his teammate, but no, he was celebrating MDVP's stage victory on the Champs Elysees.  That means that their team went first and second in the final stage of the 113th Tour de France.  It was the Maillot Vert taking third on the stage.  Mads Pedersen gave up five points to Philipsen, but it was hardly enough points to change the final destination of the sprinters' jersey. Behind it was Biniam Girmay, Olav Kooij, Max Kanter, and Anthony Turgis with the less than successful sprints.  Nevertheless, it is no small feat to have made it over the alps and three times over the climb up Montmartre to even be in the top ten on the stage.

This is the last painting of this year's Tour de France.  I will have six days off and then I will be back with the Tour de France Femmes.  I hope you will read along with the women's race, 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.

Purchase this painting here: "Finishing It Off! TdF26-164" (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 '26, Stage 21: Desperately Close

The change in the lap up to Montmartre meant that there was a longer flatter stretch of road before the return to the Champs Elysees.  That gave the sprinters and their teams the opportunity to chase down anyone that got away on the narrow climb up to the summit of Butte Montmartre.  So it was for Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) as they made the final curve towards the line on the Champs Elysees.  Without any true need other than pride, Pogacar sat up once the chasers caught his wheel.  Tadej finished thirtieth on the stage but is still very much the winner of the Tour de France for the fifth time.  He is only the fifth to officially achieve that milestone.  Van Der Poel had a very different finish on the Champs Elysees than that of the Maillot Jaune.  The group that had chase these two down included all of the big-name sprinters that have gotten themselves over the alps just for this moment.  Lining up to fight it out for stage honors in Paris are Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Mattieu's teammate Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM) amongst others.

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: "Desperately Close TdF26-163" (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 '26, Stage 21: Up Montmartre

 It was an incredible narrow cobbled climb to the summit of the Butte Montmartre.  So narrow that the only people on the streets were the gendarmes making sure no one else but those watching out of the windows above were on the side of the street.  On the second time up the climb Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) on his left shoulder, and no one else is even in sight behind.  I have walked these streets.  In fact, I got to visit a group of artist studios just around the corner from here.  Today, all of the artists had to surrender their areas on the square in the shadow of Sacre Coeur to the throngs awaiting the arrival of the leaders of the race.  I don't know if you can tell, but the guy leaning out the window is still wearing his waiter apron from the restaurant downstairs.

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: "Up Montmartre TdF26-161" (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 '26, Stage 21: Who Is with Me?

Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) looks back on the way down from the summit of Montmartre to find that Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is leading the chase.  On the wheel of the Maillot Jaune is Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-Quick Step), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and Micheal Matthews (Jayco-Alula).  The group joined together in hopes of holding of the next group behind.  As they returned to the circle around the l'Arc Triomphe, they were almost all together again.  Now it was down, around the Place de la Concorde and back up the other side of the Champs Elysees.  I imagine that they will be all together just to start the climb again.

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: "Who Is with Me? TdF26-160" (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 '26, Stage 11: Launching Off the Front

It was a bit of a surprise to see Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) going on the offensive just ten kilometers into the stage.  Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) saw the opportunity (or perhaps the danger) in the moved and quickly jumped on to the former World Champion's wheel.  Both are on the teams of two of the best sprinters in the peloton.  With the day ear marked as s day for a sprint finale, these two being off the front would mean their teammates wouldn't be expected to chase down a break should they be able to stay away.  Of course, the peloton wasn't having it, and they were soon back in 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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Launching Off the Front TdF26-73" (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 '26, Stage 9: Winning from the Front

Not only did Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) win from the front group, he was also forced to start his sprint from the front of the four-man breakaway that just made it to the line.  The foursome that included Van Der Poel, Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility), Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), risked everything by slowing down, each trying to get the other to jump first.  In a post-race interview, Pidcock said his only hope of outsprint Van Der Poel was to get him to start his sprint too early, so they all waited as the peloton charged up behind them.  It was MVDP who went first, but he had the legs to outsprint them all.  The only one who even got close was Johannessen, claiming second for the second time in this Tour de France.  As I wrote in the previous post, Pidcock claimed that his gears failed again, making it impossible for him to mount a successful sprint.  I didn't see it, but I don't know.  They played with fire, the peloton lead by Flippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) came home just six seconds behind Van Der Poel.  

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: "Winning from the Front TdF26-64" (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 '26, Stage 9: Can They Stay Away?

This quartet only had forty-seven seconds on the peloton with another fourteen kilometers left to Ussel.  Conventional wisdom says that they don't have enough of a gap to stay away from the chasing peloton, but that doesn't take into account the quality of these four guys.  Now that his gears are funtioning, Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) was doing his part to pull his companions along.  Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) will pull next followed in turn by the powerhouse of the group, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech).  It is the erstwhile Maillot a Pois, Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) who is slipping to the back to get a bit of a breather having done his turn on the front.  Are we going to be treated to a successful breakaway or will it be heartbreak like yesterday's 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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Can They Stay Away? TdF26-63" (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 →  

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)

Paris Roubaix '26: Tough Time in the Forest

The Trouvee d'Arenberg claims the hopes of many in their goal to win (or even finish) Paris Roubaix.  So it seems for Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech).  He was with a teammate who passed him his bike, but apparently, they road different pedals so Van Der Poel was unable to pedal that bike.  Meanwhile another teammate had switched out his own good wheel onto the defending champion's bike, but it seemed that didn't work either.  By the time he was reached by his team car and mechanic he was now two minutes behind the front of the race.  He does have 92 kilometers to chase back, but those are not mere mortals that are up the road.  Of course, he isn't a mere mortal either.

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. 

"Tough Time in the Forest PR26-4" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 15: Thanks, Guys

Sure, the morning I decide nothing is going to happen early, so I grab and extra half hour of sleep, that's when all of the drama happens early.  After a crash, cross wins, Tadej paying back Jonas for making the peloton wait, and dropped riders, the breakaway finally reached the sprint point in Saint Felix Lavrages.  As the fifteen riders approached the sprint point it was Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) leading them through.  Once he had taken the uncontested maximum points, he swung off thanking Jarrad Prizners (Lotto) and Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech) for not making him have to sprint.  With Jonathan Milan back in the main peloton Van Der Poel will be the only sprinter earning points towards the Maillot Vert today until the end of the stage.  He is now moved closer to Milan's total, just one stage win today would give him the lead in the sprinter's 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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Thanks, Guys TdF25-95" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 11: Holding Off the Chasers

It was the three that got away at the start and the pair that joined them that were still holding off the chases from behind.  There was a group of five a half of a minute behind them unable to close the gap.  The peloton sat another two minutes further back equally unable to close up to these five.  With twenty-one kilometers to race it was looking like Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno X-Mobility), Davide Ballerini (XDS-Astana), Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies), Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) and Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) were going to fight it out for the victory back into Toulouse.

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. 

"Holding Off the Chaser TdF25-70" (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 9: I Got You

Jonas Rickaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) looks under his arm to check on his teammate Mathieu Van Der Poel.  The pair have been out in front of the entire peloton for 160 kilometers thus far.  The pair have held a lead as high as five-and-a-half minutes, but with just eleven kilometers left to Chateauroux they still had a minute and six seconds on the closing teams of the sprinters.  The rule of thumb is that the peloton can pull back a minute over every ten kilometers.  That translate to it being really touch-and-go  that this pair will be able to stay away to the line.  All along the course today, the sunflowers have been turning their faces to watch the Tour go by (as long as the riders were on the sunny side of the fields).

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.

"I Got You TdF25-56" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Tour '25, Stage 9: Pro Forma

Today did not start out as expected.  From the very first meters of the start Jonas Richaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) went off the front alone.  He was quickly joined by his teammate Mathieu Van Der Poel.  Van Der Poel has already won a stage of this Tour and has worn the Maillot Jaune for three of the nine stages (including today) thus far.  I was quite surprised that the peloton was letting these two go.  I wasn't alone in that surprise.  By the time they reached the intermediate sprint point in La Bell Indienne twenty-four kilometers into the stage the duo of teammates had built up almost four minutes on the peloton.  Giving Van Der Poel this much of an advantage seems unwise despite the 150 kilometers left to race to Chateauroux.  As they rolled through the pro forma sprint - for it wasn't really a sprint - it was Van Der Poel grabbing the maximum points, naturally.

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.

"Pro Forma TdF25-53" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 6: Gave It All for Yellow

Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had literally done all he could to retake the Maillot Jaune after losing it to Tadej Pogacar in the time trial yesterday.  He started the day he was a minute and a half behind the three-time Tour Champion, and current UCI World Tour Champion so getting into a breakaway was paramount.  He managed to join in the move that went after the intermediate sprint and hang tight over the next seven climbs.  He lost touch with each of his six companions on the road finishing eighth on the stage almost four minutes behind the stage winner and one of those he had ridden most of the stage with, Ben Healy.  The next guy to finish the stage in nineth place was Pogacar himself another minute and twenty-nine seconds later.  It was just enough for Van Der Poel to reclaim the Maillot Jaune that he had on stage 4.  That day he was on equal time with Tadej, now he has a one second advantage going into a series of flatter stages until the first mountain stage on Monday.  If he is able to recover from today's effort, he could be in the jersey another three days!

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. 

"Gave It All for Yellow TdF25-40" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 6: Five Chasing Two Chasing One

Given all of the effort it took to get into what will almost certainly be the winning move of the day, it isn't that surprising that these five got dropped first by the lone attack of Ben Healy and then the counter move by both Quinn Simmons and Michael Storer.  This quintet of Will Barta (Movistar), Eddy Dunbar (Jayco-Alula), Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Harold (XDS-Astana) had built up three-and-a-half minutes on the peloton containing the Maillot Jaune.  Van Der Poel had started the day a minute-and-a-half behind Tadej Pogacar, after yesterday's individual time trial.  At this point he still had the virtual yellow jersey by two minutes.  We know why he had worked so hard to get himself into this move.  

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. 

"Five Chasing Two Chasing One TdF25-37" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 6: Is It Established?

After multiple attempts to get a breakaway started it looks like it may have finally formed.  As they flew down the first categorized climb of the day it was Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) in his USA National Champion jersey pushing the pace to increase the gap from its current forty-five seconds.  He was joined by his countryman Will Barta (Movistar) and the erstwhile Maillot Jaune, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).  Both the parcours of the stage and the composition of this five-man group meant this could be a stage winning move.  It really does all depend on how the battle for the general classification plays out in the peloton behind.

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. 

"Is It Established? TdF25-33" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting is sold!

Tour '25, Stage 5 ITT: The Last to Start

It is the honor of holding the Maillot Jaune that you are the last to start down the ramp in an individual time trial.  So it was for Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) today.  He held little hope that he would be still in yellow tonight.  He wasn't wrong, but he gave it all he could to hold on to the golden fleece.  He started the day tied with Tadej Pogacar so he would need to go at least one second faster over the Slovenian.  Instead, he was almost a minute-and-a-half slower and dropped to eighteenth to start the day tomorrow.

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.  

"The Last to Start TdF25-20" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 4: Number 100!

During the Criterium du Dauphine, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) was asked about when he would win his 100th race.  He said that he would love to save it for the Tour de France.  And he we are.  He just managed to get around the puncher Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to win his number one hundred.  Since Van Der Poel held off Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) to take second, he is still the owner of the Maillot Jaune, on equal time.  With his third place Vingegaard concedes another four seconds to his main Tour rival.  In the distance you should be able to make out Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) who claimed fourth on the day.  That moved the Scotsman into seventh just under a minute off the leader's pace.  What will happen in the individual time trial tomorrow?

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. 

"Number 100! TdF25-24" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Tour '25, Stage 4: Three Up, Again!

Just like in Stage 2, it was Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) coming to the line together on an uphill sprint to the finish.  Stage 2 Van Der Poel got the best of the other two and claimed the Maillot Jaune that is still on his shoulders.  It would seem that he would have the better sprint over to the two GC guys behind him, but then, how much energy did he burn to rejoin them in the closing kilometers of the stage.  Just behind this trio is Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) and Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ) desperately trying to get on terms.

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. 

"Three Up, Again! TdF25-23" (Original art by Greig Leach)