Tour, Stage 8: First on the Way Down

Nans Peters (Ag2r La Mondiale) used his rather superior descending skills to drop off the back side of the Port de Bales.  Peters was one of the original thirteen that got off the front early into the stage.  And he was one of just eight that got to the top of the penultimate climb before leaving them all behind.  So far it was looking like a good day for the French squad, with Cosnefroy solidifiying his lead in the Polka Dots, Bardet in good form after his fall, and Peters off the front on a solo run to the finish.

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-2020/3693179-50-282744/Painting/first-on-the-way-down-tdf20-45.html

Tour, Stage 8: Surrounded by the Team

It seems that Thibaud Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) was harmed more in the crash in the first stage of the Tour than he let on (or at least that the team let on).  Pinot has been regularly plaqued by bad luck in the Tour, leaving last year during stage 19.  He started trying to stretch out his back on the climb up the Port de Bales and dropped of the pace.  His teammate, William Bonnet, had already climb of a few kilometers earlier.  He was surrounded by his teammates that included, Sebstien Reichenbach, Rudy Molard and Stefan Kung, all of whom willingly sacrified their standing on the GC to try and nurse Pinot over this and the following climb in hopes that he would recover on the road.  Instead, he came in over nineteen minutes behind the main contenders, thus kissing his Tour victory good bye.  With respect, it must be said that as I am writing this (about seven hours after the stage was completed) Pinot has not left the Tour.  But with another tough day of climbing in the Pyrenees tomorrow I doubt he will be back after the rest day on Monday.

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-2020/3693080-49-282744/Painting/surrounded-by-the-team-tdf20-44.html

Tour, Stage 8: Getting Patched Up

There are no time outs, or subsitutions, in cycling.  So after a fall, riders must get up and finish the stage, or their Tour is over.  Sadly a couple of guys have already crashed out of the Tour already.  Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) had a fairly minor crash that left him a bit bloody.  Along with EMT and ambulances back with the broom wagon, the Tour has a medics car at the front of the caravan ready to assists riders with their medical issures.  Bardet was quickly cleaned and patched up to go on with his stage.  Spoiler, Bardet not only caught back onto the peloton, but ended the day pulling back a couple of seconds on his main GC rivals.

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-2020/3693048-48-282744/Painting/getting-patched-up-tdf20-43.html

Tour Stage 16: Fighting All the Way

The hard attacks and the hard climb up the Port de Bales, but quite a few riders into jeopardy.  With Alejandro Valverde pulling the Yellow Jersey along with the FDJ duo of Thibaut Pinot and Arnold Jeannesson up and over the final climb many found their placings on the GC slipping away.  Pinot and Romain Bardet (AG2R) have been battling for the White Jersey of best young rider, starting the day separated by just 16 seconds.  With Pinot already a minute ahead on the road, Bardet fought with the mountain and his bike in hopes of being able to pull back the time on the way down the other side.  Pinot is not the descender that Bardet is.  Bardet had used the final descent on stage 15 to put time into his young countryman, and clung to the thought that he could do it again.  All of the struggling riders were enthusiastically encouraged by the flag waving, screaming photo taking fans that lined the top of the Haute Catagorie, all the more for the young Frenchman.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting and all of my 101st Tour de France artwork will be included in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about my book project, to pre order your copy, or to learn more about helping to bring the art of cycling to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some great rewards for Backers including an artist signed copy of the book, original art, and some other treasures.  Reward levels start at just $5 USD and everyone who pledges at any amount will have their name included on the Special Thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But don't you want a copy of the book, too?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406738---199992/Painting.html#.U871KM_D_IU

Tour Stage 16: Isolating the Yellow Jersey

The Tour de France brings out the most avid fans, many of whom will follow the race for days, camping out in RVs along the race route.  They can become a traveling city independent of the race entourage, who will line the roads of the big climbs with their satellite dishes turned to race coverage.  They will come out to cheer every rider on, from there heroes to the last guy struggling of the back.  Team Movistar came out of the rest day with a plan to break Astana's hold on the race and to try and put Vincenzo Nibali on the defense.  As they started up the final climb of the day they put man after man on the front.  It was the efforts of Benat Intxausti who shuck the last Astana support rider, Tanel Kangert.  Alejandro Valverde still had one more guy in reserve, the Frenchman John Gadret.  As Kangert cracked, Nibali looked over to thank his teammate for all of the effort on the long climb and the long stage.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  This painting and all of my art of the 101st Tour de France will be included in my soon to be self published book, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bring the 2014 edition of the Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some wonderful Backer Rewards starting as low as $5 USD, and at only $25 USD the reward includes an artist signed copy of the book.  Everyone who pledges their support will see their name in print on the Special Thanks page in "Book de Tour."  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But don't you want a copy of the book as well?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406694---199992/Painting.html#.U87v5s_D_IU

Tour Stage 16: You Want to Keep That Up?

As this foursome climbed up the HC Category Port de Bales, both Europcar riders, Thomas Voeckler and Cyril Gautier, as well as Jose Serpa (Lampre-Merida) kept attacking each other.  The older and perhaps calmer Mick Rodgers (Tinkoff Saxo) would ride back onto the wheel of whomever put in the most recent attack.  Finally, most likely annoyed with the efforts of the others, he went on his own attack.  Looking over his shoulder at the others he seemed to ask, "Are you sure you want to keep doing that?"  Rodgers had taken two stages in the most recent Giro d'Italia under similar circumstances, so he was confident in his ability to leave the others behind.  Voeckler had claimed victory the last two times the Tour finished at the base of the climb, so he wasn't lacking confidence either.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  This painting and all of my art of the 101st Tour de France will be included in my soon to be self published book, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bring the 2014 edition of the Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some wonderful Backer Rewards starting as low as $5 USD, and at only $25 USD the reward includes an artist signed copy of the book.  Everyone who pledges their support will see their name in print on the Special Thanks page in "Book de Tour."  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But don't you want a copy of the book as well?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406686---199992/Painting.html#.U87s0s_D_IU

Tour Stage 16: Trying to Cover the Attack

Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) was riding like a man possessed, repeatedly attacking his break away companions.  Hng not succeed in getting away on the Col des Ares, he picked up where he left off on the giant Port de Bales.  With the group now reduced to just Jose Serpa (Lampre-Merida), Mick Rodgers (Tinkoff Saxo), the Spanish National Champion, Jon Izaguirre (Movistar) and his teammate, Cyril Gautier.  Not only was it tough for the rest to cover his attacks, the TV Moto was having a bit of a time capturing all of the moves and the whereabouts of those who had been dropped by the accelerations.  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 art book of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become involved in bringing this most unpredictable Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous incentives to encourage you to back the project starting a just $5 USD, and every backer, regardless of the amount pledge, will have their name in print on the Special Thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post, but wouldn't you like to have a copy of "Book de Tour" as well?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2406672---199992/Painting.html#.U87o5c_D_IU