Tour '26, Stage 11: Flat Out

I had back issues and went to the ER today, I was worried that the medicine I was given would affect the way I painted.  If it did, I think it improve it.  This may be one of my most favorites of the fourteen years I have been painting the Tour.  Somehow even after a hundred miles at the fastest pace of any Tour stage in history, the sprinters were able to ramp it up just that much faster.  At just a hundred meters, Soren Waerenskjold (Uno X-Mobility) was on the front with Pascal Ackerman (Jayco-Alula), Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural-Seguros), Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling), Milan Fretin (Cofidis) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) were all hoping that they could get around the Norwegian to claim the stage in Nevers.  Warenskjold has finished second in two stages thus far, was this going to be the one that he got right?  Or was Philipsen finally going to get that elusive stage in this Tour. He has one ten stages in his career, but not yet in the 113th Tour.  Girmay is still looking for his first win in two years.

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: "Flat Out TdF26-77" (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

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Tour '24, Stage 12: One More!

Only two countries have won three stages of this Tour de France, France and now Eritrea.  However, for Eritrea it was just one man doing the winning, Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty).  It is also true that only one team has won more than one stage, at that obviously is his team.  They Maillot Vert was able to win the stage, add to his points in the sprinters' competition and out sprint Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Arnaud Demare (Cofidis), Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech), and everyone's favorite, Mark Cavendish (Astana-Qazaqstan) in Villeneuve sur Lot.  I have given you their names in the order that they finished behind the surprise sprinter of this Tour. I don't see any way that he will not carry the Green Jersey all of the way to Nice.  At this point, all he has to do is finish the remaining nine stages inside the time limit and it should be his.  It would be better if he continued to add to his total, but his lead is becoming unsurmountable.

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.

"One More! TdF24-69" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 10: Finally Getting a Stage!

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) finally got to celebrate a stage victory in this year's Tour.  He combined a perfect lead-out by his team with a clean sprint to claim victory in Saint Amand Montrond.  He held of a closing Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty) and got pass Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech).  He was understandably thrilled to get the monkey off his back.  He has finished second twice, one of those result in being relegated for dangerous sprinting.  So it was a relief for him to win, and to do so without endangering any of the others vying for 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.

"Finally Getting a Stage! TdF24-56" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 8: The Final Meters

The finale of stage 8 was an uphill sprint to the line.  On paper it was a sprinter's stage, one that was tailor made for the guy who didn't start today, Mads Pedersen.  As they got to the final meters of the stage it looked like Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) was in perfect shape as his leadout man was still setting the pace.  He did have the Maillot Vert of Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty), the best sprinter is this Tour, on his wheel.  It was Pascal Ackerman (Israel-Premier Tech) who had the cat bird seat, the wheel of Girmay.  Would Cofidis get a stage win for the second year in a row, or would someone further back get the jump on everyone in this painting?

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.

"The Final Meters TdF24-44" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice, Stage 2: Kicking into Overdrive

It look like the stage was going to belong to Pascal Ackerman (Bora-Hansgrohe) then a very patient Giacomo Nizzolo (NTT Pro Cycling) found his over drive and sprinted away from the bunch.  Behind the Italian, it was Nils Politt (Israel Start Up Nation) and Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo) seemingly watching the stage slip through their fingered gloves.  You might notice that there isn't a big crowd of cheering cycling fans along the barriers.  With the threat of the coronavirus growing in Europe, large gatherings are now banned in France so the finish line was barred to spectators.

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/Paris-Nice/3488571-9-272742/Painting/kicking-into-overdrive-pn20-9.html

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race: By a Wheel

The Norwegian team had done quite a bit of work to get their man to the front.  It looked like it might have been in vain when both Pascal Ackermann (Germany) and Jakub Mareczko (Italy) had the jump on the Norwegian sprinter.  Ackermann had a teammate along with him, Phil Bauhaus.  But it was the legs and determination to reward the work of his teammates that fired Kristoffer Halvorsen to the line.  His sprint brought him from behind, just catching Ackermann, nudging pass him by less than the diameter of a front wheel.  So it was Halvorsen for the Gold (and the Rainbow Jersey), Ackermann for the Silver and Mareczko for the Bronze.  Bauhaus rolled across the line in fourth with the Spaniard Ivan Garcia Cortina claiming 8th.  There are plenty of other sources if you want to know each riders placing.  I am just relating the riders that are in this painting.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865112-48-227958/PaintingBy%20a%20Wheel%20Doha48-Greig-Leach.html#.WAAN3eArLIU