The Art of Cycling: Mauro Schmid

Showing posts with label Mauro Schmid. Show all posts

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Tour '26, Stage 18: Who Among Us?

This title amused me. But it was what this sextet was thinking, "Who among us will win this stage?" With the chase group losing ground, and the peloton still over five minutes behind, it was clear that this is who is racing for stage honors today. Only Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) doesn't have to win the stage to have achieved his goal of the day. If he crosses the line in third or better, he will take over the lead in the King of the Mountains competition. He did not. He finished fourth on the day. So Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) was hoping to get a second stage victory. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) was hoping to win the stage to rewrite the current story of his team. The rest, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) and Raul Garcia Pierna (Movistar) were hoping to win their first stage of this Tour. For Carapaz, Jorgenson, and Gacia Pierna it would also be the first stage win for their team also. Not everyone will achieve their goals. But then that is bike racing.

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 Among Us? TdF26-133" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 18: One More Peek

After three categorized climbs and just shy of one hundred and forty kilometers, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was finally able to sprint for the maximum sprint points on offer in Corps. As he did his almost token sprint, he looked back one more time to make sure no one would dare challenge him. They did not. Had they done so the breakaway would have collapse right then. Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula), Tobias Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility) his teammate Mathias Vacek and the rest of the breakaway have been counting on the Dane's power to help keep them off the front and away from those chasing behind. Now, what will happen now that Pedersen has achieved his goal for the day. I suspect he will help Vacek as much as possible before he runs out of steam.

Purchase this painting here: "One More Peek TdF26-131" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 18: Scooping Up All the Points

The third categorized climb of the day was the Cote des Terrasse, and it was the third climb that Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) got the maximum King of the Mountain points at the summit of. He out sprinted Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) yet again. Behind them were the Lidl-Trek teammates, Mathias Vacek and Mads Pedersen. Why that is important is that Pedersen is wearing the Maillot Vert of the best sprinter in the Tour. Sprinters are known for their climbing abilities, but here he is with the leaders on a mountain stage. Of course, the intermediate sprint is another twenty-four kilometers down the road. His main competitor in the sprint competition is behind the peloton in the grupetto about ten minutes behind the breakaway.

Purchase this painting here: "Scooping Up the Points TdF26-129" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 18: The Points Are Up the Road

As this five-some climbed the Cote de Monteynard they were chasing a group of six that had twenty-one seconds on them. Not a situation that either Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step) nor Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) were happy with. Both men were hoping to take over the lead in the King of the Mountains competition. Yes, Paret-Peintre is wearing the jersey, but it is "on loan" from the race leader, Tadej Pogacar. The Soudal-Quick Step rider has already gone first over the first climb of the day, out sprinting Carapaz for the maximum KOM points. The other three were happy to ride behind the aggressors. Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula), Raul Garcia Pierna (Movistar) and Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) were happy to let the other two pull them up to the leading breakaway. Both Vacek and Pierna had teammates up the road, so there were going to, nor were they expected to, work to chase down the leaders. I should note that they did join up before the summit with Paret-Peintre getting the maximum KOM points ahead of Carapaz, again.

Purchase this painting here: "The Points Are Up the Road TdF26-128" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Tour '26, Stage 17: Without Disaster

I guess I should start with the title. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has a nickname that he hates. He is oft times called "Jasper Disaster." He has a tendency to crash in sprints. To be fair, that does seem to no longer be a thing. Although, he has not been able to put together a successful sprint for a stage victory this Tour, until now. He had to work hard in the early phase of the stage to stay with the peloton, most of his sprint rivals were dropped, fought back, and then stayed with the peloton when they let the breakaway go. Philipsen stayed with the break and was there to fight for the stage. He was delivered perfectly by his teammate Mathieu Van Der Poel (who has won a stage already). Then he had the power to drop all of the others trying to win today. Behind him it was Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) from an early painting. In third was Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM), the only other pure sprinter in the finale. Behind the podium were Lewis Adkey (NSN Cycling), Rick Pluimers (Tudor Pro Cycling), Clement Russo (Groupama FDJ-United), Huub Artz (Lotto-Intermarche) and in eighth was Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). Despite Philipsen getting the maximum points in the sprint finale, Pedersen's placing means he holds onto the Maillot Vert. With the mountains to come, he most likely will hold it into Paris. He will need to add to his total before the intermediate sprint on the Champs Elysees on Sunday. Given the new final stage's climbs up Montmartre, it makes for a very different final sprint of the Tour.

As you have seen, I normally include all of scene, but sometimes less is more. Therefore, as I worked on this, I realized all I needed to convey the story of the final sprint of Stage 17 was the riders, and nothing else.

Purchase this painting here: "Without Disaster TdF26-127" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 17: Chasing Along the Valley Road

The peloton started the day in the Vouge mountains but left them behind about halfway through the stage. The early climbs blew the peloton apart before they reached the valley roads. This trio of Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula), Aaron Gate (XDS-Astana) and Huub Artz (Lotto-Intermarche) were stuck between the lead group hoping to close forty-nine seconds with the peloton three-and-a-half minutes further back. Despite a constant changing series of attacks and make-up of the peloton it seems that the highly placed on the general classification are happy (finally) with who is off the front. They did eventually catch those up the road.

Purchase this painting here: "Chasing Along the Valley Road TdF26-123" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Sunday, July 19, 2026

Tour '26, Stage 15: With Conviction

Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) was on fire today. He jumped from the very small breakaway on the final climb of the day, the Plateau de Solaison. He chased down Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) the former Swiss champion as they raced near the border with Switzerland. I thought he would sit on Schmid's wheel for a bit on the HC (outside category) climb, but no, he went straight on by. He was racing with the conviction that the peloton would worry too much about each other to bother chasing him. With nine more kilometers to climb to the summit and the end of the stage he still had a minute and forty-five seconds on the group containing the yellow jersey. That would be plenty of time if it was a flat stage, but this is a climb with an average of a 9% gradient.

Purchase this painting here: "With Conviction TdF26-111" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Friday, July 17, 2026

Tour '26: Stage 13: Just Enough Road

While you can see the eight former companions of the leading duo, it wasn't as close as it seemed. Both Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana) had slowed down, each trying to force the other to the front as they rode in the final kilometer of the stage. Schmid said in a post-race interview that he was trying to get Tejada to jump first as the chasers closed in. It worked. Tejada opened up the sprint looking like he would get the stage. He faded in the final meters, and Schmid was able to get the victory. As he crossed the line, he first pulled up his front wheel then smashed it down in a celebration of his win. Not a move I remember seeing before. Closest thing would be Peter Sagan's wheelies as he went over mountain top summits while in the groupetto. Behind, Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) was able to outsprint the others for a well-deserved third place on the stage.

Purchase this painting here: "Just Enough Road TdF26-92" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26: Stage 13: Capturing the Move

The race is filmed by a minimum of four TV Motos and at least two camera sporting helicopters. Throw in the stationary cameras at the intermediate sprint and the finish, there is quite a good chance of capturing all of the main action of any stage of the Tour de France. I always enjoy when one cameraman catches another at work. So it was with this Moto filming what looks to be the winning move off the front of the break by Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) and Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana). The pair had opened up just nine seconds on their erstwhile companions as they raced the final fifteen kilometers into Belfort. They were helped by Schmid's teammate, Luke Plapp discouraging the chase behind.

Purchase this painting here: "Capturing the Move TdF26-90" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Tour '26, Stage 13: Over the Summit

I learned today that the Ballon d'Alsace was the first mountain ever climbed in the Tour de France. It was introduced to the Grand Boucle back in 1905. We just missed celebrating the 120th anniversary of this climb by a year. I doubt that was foremost in the mind of Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) as he led the breakaway over the summit of the Category One climb. Pidcock is known as an incredible descender so he may have wanted to be the first to start down the other side of the mountain. He was followed in turn by Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula) and Plapp's teammate Mauro Schmid. The next two over the summit were the two Frenchmen Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) and Kevin Vauquelin (Netcompany-Ineos). As they crested the Ballon, the peloton was back down the mountain almost eight-and-a-half minutes behind. At this point Pidcock has moved into second place virtually. I suspect that the peloton will start chasing under the impetuous of those teams whose leaders are losing their places in the general classification.

Purchase this painting here: "Over the Summit TdF26-89" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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Monday, April 27, 2026

Liege Bastogne Liege '26: Attacking for Third

With the miles running out, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) attacked what was left of the peloton with just ten kilometers to race. His move was covered by Christian Scaroni (XDS-Astana). It took a bit for Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) to respond having been on the front for a while now. The group did come back together, but in the end it was Evenepoel that was able to sprint to claim the final step of the podium. That was a nice reversal after getting dropped so soundly on the ascent of the Cote de la Redoute.

"Attacking for Third LBL26-6" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Thursday, April 23, 2026

Fleche Wallonne '26: Jeune, Fort, et Francais

I apologize if the French is wrong in the title. Translated, I hope it reads as "Young, Strong, and French". Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) jumps free of the peloton claiming victory in Fleche Wallonne atop the Mur de Huy by three seconds over the rest of the peloton. With this win he becomes the youngest male cyclist to win at the tender age of nineteen! Behind him are Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) and Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike) respectively finishing out the podium. Benoit Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates) claimed fourth finishing six seconds ahead of the rest of the field. As Bob Rolle and Christian Vandevelde, "the hype is real" referring to the young Seixas. Will he eventually be the guy to finally reclaim the Tour de France for the French?

"Jeune, Fort, et Francais FW26-7" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Fleche Wallonne '26: Inside the Final Kilometer

With a mere 600 meters until the finale, all of the favorites were massed at the front of the peloton waiting for the right moment to launch their attacks. The front line was composed of two not expected to be there, Joan Bou (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike) and the odds-on favorite Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM). The next row, theoretically better positioned, were the Swiss champion Mauro Schmiel (Jayco-Alula), Romain Gregoire (Groupama-FDJ-United) and Benoit Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates). It was nice to see Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) leading up the remnants of those hoping to vie for the win at the summit of the Mur de Huy.

"Inside the Final Kilometer FW26-6" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Tour '25, Stage 11: Out Thrown

Both Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno X-Mobility) and Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) had managed to drop the other three members of the breakaway. They were chased by Mathieu Van Der Poel. He had lost a stage on a breakaway effort in the final meters of a stage. Today, he was unable to catch the break and was about at the same point when he was caught then as he was now when these two sprinted for stage victory. Schmid had the misfortune of being on the front for the final kilometer but came oh so close to outsprinting the Norwegian on the Norwegian team. It came down to the quality of each man's bike throw. Abrahamsen had the better lunge for the line claiming his first Tour de France stage victory of his career. You may remember he spend days in the Maillot a Pois and a day or two in the Maillot Vert last year, but this is the first time he has taken a Tour stage.

"Out Thrown TdF25-72" (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.

"Holding Off the Chaser TdF25-70" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Tour '25, Stage 8: Cruising

The long flat stage designed to be one for the sprinters had the peloton at more of a cruising pace. For those at the back, it was almost a day off. With the first mountain stage looming Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) - the Swiss Champion - and Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling) could be forgiven to try can get as much rest as one can at 30 miles per hour. While there was no one off the front of the peloton the sprinters' teams were keeping the pace locked in to prevent anyone from trying to escape before the intermediate sprint in Vitre.

"Cruising TdF24-47" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Friday, January 24, 2025

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: Working as One

After the sprint, the four escapees got back to working together as they pushed out their advantage over the peloton. The group has just gone over the first categorized climb of the day, Parawa Hill, where they rolled through uncontested with Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) on the front. The Swiss Champion was followed in turn by Giosue Epis (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Ide Schelling (XDS-Astana), and Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermache-Wanty). With seventy kilometers left to go, their advantage of a bit over a minute didn't look super promising. But then, sitting in the peloton, they would have considerably less chance than being out here on the front.

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.

"Working as One TDU25-33" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: A Swift Swiss

It was the Swiss Champion Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) who jumped out of the breakaway to claim the first intermediate sprint in Snapper Point. William Junior Lecerf (Soudal-Quick Step) gave the champion a run for his money, but in the end wasn't able to come around Schmid. After the sprint, the break rejoined and got on with their likely vain effort to win 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.

"A Swift Swiss TDU25-32" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Monday, March 6, 2023

Paris Nice 23, Stage 2: The Tip of the Tail

Today’s stage looked nearly pancake flat. The organizers and most of the riders had hoped that the winds would come and blow the race into broken shards of echelons. Fortunately for those like Thibaut Guernalec (Arkea Samsic) who had crashed in the opening stage yesterday, the winds didn’t blow up. While he was struggling to hold onto the last wheel of the peloton, he along with the rider from Uno-X and Mauro Schmid (Soudal-Quickstep) it was a lot easier to stay in contact without the wind blowing across the fields and into the riders of Paris 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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Paris-Nice/3938324-85-272742/Painting/the-tip-of-the-tail.-pn23-3.html

Friday, January 20, 2023

Tour Down Under '23, Stage 2: The Stage and the Jersey

As I said, Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma) was looking like he was about to attack in the previous painting. And he had enough power left to get away from his breakaway companions. He just managed to have time to celebrate even as Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) tried as hard as he could to catch the Australian. On his wheel and hidden by him is Mauro Schmid (Soudal-Quickstep) finishing in third. Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla) and Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) finished out the placings just a mere eleven seconds ahead of the fast closing peloton lead home by Caleb Ewan (UniSA-Australia). With the ten second time bonus Dennis will be pulling on the next Ochre Jersey with a lead of just three seconds over Vine, a second less than the time bonus difference between first and second place on 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 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-Down-Under/3928093-161-194179/Painting/the-stage-and-the-jersey-tdu23-15.html