Tour Femmes '26, Stage 8: Not a Bad Set of Wheels

After goofing around with the cameraman and toasting her teammates with a small can of Coke, Alison Jackson (Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) sped pass Nikola Noskova (Cofidis) and crouched down to draft off of the Gendarmes' motorcycles.  I suspect she was just continuing her goofing which is part of her cycling persona.  It is the first day that the women have had even the slightest chance to relax a bit, but again, there will be some racing when we get closer to 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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "Not a Bad Set of Wheels TdFF26-50" (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 Femmes '26, Stage 3: Time to Chase

I'm not sure why it took so long, but with thirty-eight kilometers to race, the peloton finally started to chase the two women up the road.  With the increase in pace, the peloton stretched out into a fast single-file line with those at the back wondering what happened.  Paula Ostiz (Movistar) popped off the back just after I painted this.  Maeva Squiban (UAE Team L'IMAD) - who had won a stage so beautifully last year - hung onto the wheel of Laura Ascencio (Ma Petite Entreprise) with Malwina Mul (Cofidis) and Emilie Morier (St Michel-Home Preference-Auber93) hanging onto the wheels in front of them. Everyone but Ostiz finished with the peloton, but none ever caught the two 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.

Purchase this painting here: "Time to Chase TdFF26-16" (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 Femmes '26, Stage 2: Climbing through the Vineyard

After a sharp turned off of the main road, this wall rose up in front of the peloton lined by grapevines and cycling fans all of the way up the ten percent average climb.  The trio from St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93 of Heidi Franz, Caroline Wreszin, and Alicia Gonzalez fought to stay on the wheels of the women in front of them.  The hope for everyone was to be able to quickly reform the peloton once over this vicious little ascent.  They all did, for now.

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: "Climbing through the Vineyards TdFF26-8" (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 Femmes '25, Stage 5: Bookends

As the peloton road up through down a few were finding the pace a bit tough, Emilie Morier (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) & Emily Watts follow their teammates onto the tail of the peloton.  Struggling to hold on as well was Ane Santesteban (Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi) all being photographed by a lone fan on one side of the road and a swarm on the other.  The title comes from the fact that Santestevan's teammate is up the road by four minutes in a five-woman breakaway, so the team is bookending the race today.

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.

"Bookends TdFF25-23" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: One Has to Try

Ella Simpson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93) was the next one to take on the death grip of the peloton.  They seemed a bit less threatened by this Australian on the French team.  Simpson built up almost two minutes before the peloton stormed into the intermediate sprint in Stirling.  She did pull the gap back out a bit before things got serious behind.  The peloton wasn't likely to repeat the mistake of the opening stage of this edition of the women's Tour Down Under.

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 Has to Try TDU25-13" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 2: We Can Do This!

Despite having only about two or three seconds on the chasing peloton, Ella Simpson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93) yells encouragement to Sarah Van Dam (Ceratizit) in hopes that the two could slip away at the foot of the final climb of Willunga Hill.  Naturally, the peloton and the overall contenders weren't going to let these two spoil their party.  They were caught (and dropped) by the peloton mere moments after I painted this.  With only seven kilometers until the end of the stage, there was no time for messing about.

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. 

"We Can Do This! TDU25-9" (Original art by Greig Leach)