Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 4: Almost Back

The seventh categorized climb of the day, the Cote de la Redoute, split the peloton into multiple groups leaving these nine women to chase down the leaders.  On the back of the nine are Victoire Guilman (St. Michel-Mavic-Auber93), Silvia Perxico (UAE Team ADQ) along with Fem Van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike), Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) and Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi).  Persico had been driving the pace all day and at this point is the virtual Queen of the Mountains.  With three more tough climbs yet to go before Liege, she may not claim the Polka Dots at the end of the day.  It is sure that someone new will pull on the Maillot a Pois on the podium this evening.

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.

"Almost Back TdFF24-18" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 2: Getting the Stage, Not the Jersey

It was a tough final 500 meters to the line in Mauriac.  The rise up to the line meant you couldn't go too early or you would fad by the line.  Silvia Persico (UAE Team ADQ) was losing steam as Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) came up to the line.  Conversely, Liane Lippert (Movistar) in her German Champion's jersey had waited to the last moment to launch herself forward.  The risk paid dividends giving her the stage victory.  Given the time Kopecky had gained over the peloton yesterday, she was still in Yellow by almost a minute over Lippert.  Plus her second place here and her fourth in the intermediate sprint was enough to keep her in the lead in the sprint points competition as well.  That means that Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step) will start tomorrow still wearing the Maillot Vert on loan from Kopecky.

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.

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Tour Femmes '22, Stage 7: On to the Final Climb

This group has been hanging out in the middle of the leader's and the group of the Maillot Jaune for kilometers.  It was nice to see Urska Zigart (BikeExchange-Jayco) dangling off of a leading group rather than the back of the peloton.  Her riding position implys she isn't comfortable around her fellow riders.  It seems she should just go on a solo raid since she is spending the entire Tour de France Femmes riding in the wind anyway.  She was keeping close to Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service), Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope) as they sextet swung onto the road that will take them up the Grand Ballon.  Zigart moved up 43 places due to her efforts on the day, she still sits 46th on the general classification.  Persico is riding to hold onto her third place over all.  If she can't catch the two up the road, she will slide down a bit.  She did slide to sixth. I was still trying to figure out if Muzic was riding for her team leader, or the other way round.

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

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Tour Femmes '22, Stage 2: Queen of the Tour

Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) goes one better than yesterday, winning stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes!  She had started the day just four seconds out of the Maillot Jaune, but with Lorena Wiebes finishing 29 seconds back, she is the new Queen of the Tour de France Femmes, the new Maillot Jaune.  The birthday girl Silvia Persico (Valco-Travel & Service) took second, putting her in second on the GC as well.  In fact each of the top five finishers today became the top five of the Tour Femmes.  Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM) who had opened the sprint took third with Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) finishing in fourth.  

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 

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Tour Femmes '22, Stage 2: Increasing Their Advantage

With just two kilometers left to race this rather power sextet was continuing to increase their lead over the erstwhile Maillot Jaune.  The group was being pulled (and urged) along by the Rainbow Jersey of Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) while her teammate Elisa Longo Borghini shelter at the back.  Between the Trek-Segafredo women was a former world champion, Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), the young woman who started it all Maike Van Der Duin (Le Col-Wahoo).  On the Maillot Blanc's wheel is Katarzyn Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM) and the birthday girl herself, Silvia Persico (Valcar-Travel & Service).  With forty one seconds on the chasers, the stage winner and probably the new Maillot Jaune was in this group.

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-2022/3895796-153-294403/Painting/increasing-their-advantage-tdff22-12.html