Tour '26, Stage 21: Desperately Close

The change in the lap up to Montmartre meant that there was a longer flatter stretch of road before the return to the Champs Elysees.  That gave the sprinters and their teams the opportunity to chase down anyone that got away on the narrow climb up to the summit of Butte Montmartre.  So it was for Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) as they made the final curve towards the line on the Champs Elysees.  Without any true need other than pride, Pogacar sat up once the chasers caught his wheel.  Tadej finished thirtieth on the stage but is still very much the winner of the Tour de France for the fifth time.  He is only the fifth to officially achieve that milestone.  Van Der Poel had a very different finish on the Champs Elysees than that of the Maillot Jaune.  The group that had chase these two down included all of the big-name sprinters that have gotten themselves over the alps just for this moment.  Lining up to fight it out for stage honors in Paris are Milan Fretin (Cofidis), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Mattieu's teammate Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay (NSN Cycling) and Olav Kooij (Decathlon-CMA CGM) amongst others.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 21: Up Montmartre

 It was an incredible narrow cobbled climb to the summit of the Butte Montmartre.  So narrow that the only people on the streets were the gendarmes making sure no one else but those watching out of the windows above were on the side of the street.  On the second time up the climb Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has the Maillot Jaune of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) on his left shoulder, and no one else is even in sight behind.  I have walked these streets.  In fact, I got to visit a group of artist studios just around the corner from here.  Today, all of the artists had to surrender their areas on the square in the shadow of Sacre Coeur to the throngs awaiting the arrival of the leaders of the race.  I don't know if you can tell, but the guy leaning out the window is still wearing his waiter apron from the restaurant downstairs.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 21: Who Is with Me?

Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) looks back on the way down from the summit of Montmartre to find that Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) is leading the chase.  On the wheel of the Maillot Jaune is Jasper Stuyven (Soudal-Quick Step), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and Micheal Matthews (Jayco-Alula).  The group joined together in hopes of holding of the next group behind.  As they returned to the circle around the l'Arc Triomphe, they were almost all together again.  Now it was down, around the Place de la Concorde and back up the other side of the Champs Elysees.  I imagine that they will be all together just to start the climb again.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 21: The Team that Won the Tour

Despite starting on the Champs Elysees in the heart of Paris, the teams made sure to have the ceremonial traditions before they got down to race for victory in the final stage of the Tour.  Tadej Pogacar poses with his six UAE Teammates that made it to ride up and down the Champs Elysees.  Starting from his left it is Isaac Del Toro in the Maillot Blanc, then Tim Wellens and Felix Grosschartner.  One Tadej's right side his Nils Politt, then Florian Vermeesch and finally, Adam Yates.  The team has changed to an all-white jersey with yellow high lights and a big yellow number five along with white shorts.  Only Del Toro opted for black shorts perhaps to contrast with his Maillot Blanc.  The team was also riding new yellow bikes, with again the exception of Del Toro, who opted for a white bike to match his white jersey.  The one teammate missing is the American Brandon McNulty.  He had to drop out of the raced due to illness during stage 18.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 21: The Jerseys of the Tour

The final stage of stage of the 113th Tour de France was shortened by 25 miles.  Rather than starting outside of Paris and winding its way into the city, it was decided to give the start town the honor of the team sign-in.  They then loaded all of the teams into their busses and processed down the course to the Champs Elysees.  Once everyone was onsite, the race started without a neutral start for the six laps off the tradition finish on up and down the Champs Elysees.  Now they have added three laps that take in a ten-kilometer loop up to the top of the Butte Montmartre under the shadow of the Cathedral de Sacre Coeur.  The teams decided on their own that they would do all of the traditional photos, and ceremony on the first to laps, and then get down to the business of racing.  The first to show themselves for the camera were the four men who have won the four leaders' jerseys.  Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) in the Maillot Jaune of the winner of the Tour, and his teammate Isaac Del Toro in the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider and third place.  The Maillot a Pois was won by Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).  The Maillot Vert was won by Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) which he like Tadej have held since Stage Four of the Tour.

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: "The Jerseys of the Tour TdF26-154" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Teammates

After a rather silly salute to the crowd while crossing the line together, Tadej Pogacar and Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) shared a hug before the throng of press photographers just out of sight to us here.  I thought their celebrations were a little odd since they finished fourth and fifth on the stage, but I now realize that they were celebrating the collaboration and their Maillots Juane and Blanc.  And of course, they will both finish on the podium in first and third assuming nothing terrible happens on the streets of Paris.  It is forecasted to rain for the cobbled finale on both the climb of Montmartre and the Champs Elysees.  Let's all hope they and the rest of the peloton all finish safely!

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Super Domestique

Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) could not have asked for a better member of the peloton to help him on the final climb of the final mountain stage of the 113th Tour de France!  Tadej Pogacar was sacrificing his chance to claim the first ever back-to-back wins atop Alpe d'Huez to make sure that his teammate stayed in third place on the general classification and kept his Maillot Blanc of the best young rider of the Tour.  This is not normal activities for the Maillot Jaune, but then I think Pogacar has established that he is not a mere mortal cyclist.  I should note that Pogacar's lead is so large that he can afford this generous act despite the guy in second place has gone up the road.  In fact, Evenepoel finished second on the stage, but only forty seconds ahead of this jerseyed duo.  As long as they both finished the stage tomorrow, they will finish in first and third in Paris wearing their yellow and white jerseys in Paris.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 20: The Cream Rises

The top three of the Tour come over the summit of the Col de Sarenne together.  To be fair, Lenny Martinez (Bahrian-Victorious) is with them but hidden from view.  Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) goes over first looking to make sure his teammate Isaac Del Toro is still with them.  Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) takes the summit to grab another gel and squeeze it into his mouth.  There is still another fourteen kilometers left to race after all.  The guy sitting in fourth, Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) has dropped off the pace and is losing time to all four.  He had started the day just twenty-four seconds behind Del Toro in both the top five and in the race for the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider.  It wasn't to be for the very young Frenchman today, but he did hold his position in the classification despite having lost time on the final climb of the Tour.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 20: Flying Down the Galibier

Attacking, or more accurately, just out riding the rest of the peloton over the summit of the Galibier the top five of the general classification flew back down the other side.  With fifty-two kilometers to race the quintet of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) along with his teammate Isaac Del Toro, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CGA CMA), and Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) still had another four-and-a-half minutes to bridge up to the still cohesive breakaway.  I have always looked at descent as a reward for all of the struggles climbing a mountain, I'm not so sure about these twisty roads with the sheer drop-offs.  But I am willing to give it a try.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 19: You Were Expecting...

I love the almost teenage shrug that Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) gave before going into a more tradition victory salute.  He seemed to say, with this gesture, you were expecting a different result?  It has been since Bradley Wiggins that the guy wearing the Maillot Jaune won the stage atop Alpe d'Huez.  And you have to go back to Marco Pantani to find someone who has climbed this famous Tour climb anywhere near as quickly.  Let's face it, Pogacar is setting new Tour records throughout this Tour.  Let's hope he doesn't go the way of Pantani.  Behind the gesture, you can just see the two guys he left inside of the final kilometer, Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) takes second place and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) and by so doing takes the lead in the King of the Mountains competition away from the guy who now leads the Tour by a little over seven minutes.  I think he was also letting us know that despite there being some illness hitting his team... he is just fine!

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 19: The Devil Shows the Way

I think that even the gendarmes like the devil or perhaps I should say they enjoy Didi Senft. It seems he was the only person allowed on the inside of the barriers once passed the Four-Kilometer Banner.  Has he saluted every rider, it seems he was showing Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) showing just were those that had dropped off the leaders were at up the road.  With three-and-a-half kilometers left to the mountain top finish the Maillot Jaune could almost see his quarry for stage honors.  Not only was he on his way to an almost sure stage win atop Alpe d'Huez, he was also recording the fastest ever ascent of the fable climb eclipsing Marco Pantini's record by three minutes I believe.  Maybe he has made a deal with the Devil to be this amazingly good.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 19: Chasing Up Alpe d'Huez

Undaunted by the leaders' three-minute advantage, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) jumped clear of the group of race favorites in search of another stage victory.  In just four kilometers of the twelve of the climb he has already pulled back half of the advantage of those up the road.  At this point in the climb the crowds were very much under control.  That may have something to do with the heavy presents of the Gendarmie.   The only one in sight of the Maillot Jaune was one of the many press photographers on the back of a motorcycle.  

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 16 ITT: First Goes Last

With an individual time trial the best placed rider in the general classification starts last, with the lowest placed rider going first.  Naturally, the order continues up through the classification.  It gives Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) the extra advantage of knowing the times of all of his competitors as he races the twenty-six kilometers down to the coast of Lake Geneva. While he may have known the times he needed to best his legs weren't able to deliver the speed required.  For the second stage in a row he took second place to the same person (I'll reveal who later).  Before any of his fans panic, he does have a five-minute buffer between himself and the next best rider in the general classification.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 15: Outsprinting Yellow!

Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) had the un-enviable position of having to take on two very strong guys from the same team at the finale of Stage 15.  He had climbed pedal stroke for pedal stroke with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and his teammate Isaac Del Toro.  Tadej was riding as a super-domestique for Isaac in hopes of helping the Mexican Champion to both the stage win and reclaiming the Maillot Blanc of best young rider.  After Del Toro had attack twice and been caught by Evenepoel, it was Evenepoel's turn to go.  To pretty much everyone's surprise, Pogacar couldn't get around the former World Champion, perhaps a first this season.  Some seemed to think that the Maillot Jaune let the stage go, but that would be out of character for the Maillot Jaune - unless of course it was a teammate that was going to win the stage.  Evenepoel now moves into second place, with Del Toro moving into third and the Maillot Blanc.  Quinn Simmons still managed a tenth place. With his teammates finishing sixth and eighth, Lidl-Trek holds onto its lead in the team classification for at least one more stage.

Now onto the rest day, that will be followed by and individual time trial.  Should be interesting...

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 15: Grinding Up the Climb

This was the first time the Tour de France has ever scaled the Plateau de Solaison, I suspect it will be back.  Once Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) hit the front with his teammate Isaac Del Toro, the only guy who could hold onto the two stars was Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).  The trio was distancing Evenepoel's teammate/team rival Florian Lipowitz and the rest of any of the general classification hopefuls.  It seemed like Pogacar was being a super-domestique to Del Toro.  Was he planning on gifting the Mexican Champion another stage, or was he riding to get him back into the Maillot Blanc of the best young rider in the Tour?  Of course, they still had to catch Quinn Simmons who was a little over a minute up the climb.  Unfortunately for the American Champion, there was just under seven kilometers to go and the chasers had pulled back a half a minute in only a single kilometer.  I don't think this will be the stage victory that Simmons is still seeking.

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: "Grinding Up the Climb TdF26-112" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold, but digital prints are available at the link above.

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Tour '26, Stage 15: What Is the Plan?

That was the question on everyone's mind.  What is Visma-Lease a Bike's plan? Why are they on the front of the peloton driving the pace towards the final climb of the day?  Victor Campenaerts and Bruno Armirail had been called back from the breakaway to help the team pull on the front, Armirail has just swung of leaving Campenaerts to continue pulling as Edoardo Affini and Matteo Jorgenson wait for their turn.  Jonas Vingegaard, back into his team kit, rides with Sepp Kuss on his wheel, ready to enact whatever plan the team his running.  Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) in his Maillot Jaune takes advantage of his main rival's team's work as his teammates support him and Isaac Del Toro.  I am sure they, like the rest of us, are trying to figure out what the guys in black and yellow are up to.  We never did find out, but that is for the next 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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

Purchase this painting here: "What Is the Plan? TdF26-109" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 14: Now He Goes!

After Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) had been isolated others had tried to go on the offensive.  But once everyone was on their own without teammates to aid them, that is when Pogacar took off.  For a few seconds it looked like Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) were going to be able to hold onto the wheel of the Maillot Jaune.  They could not. Behind them in his Maillot Blanc Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) was finding the pace just too much to handle.  Once he has gone it is very rare that Pogacar is seen again.  Today was no exception.  I wasn't pleased with the camera angles when he won the stage, so this will have to do for his victory painting.  Let's face it, this is when he won the stage.  I do think he has already won the Tour.  Although today he seemed weaker, but then he could have been doing the 'rope a dope' move of feinting weakness in order to get his rivals to over commit.  That may have been what happened to Vingegaard 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.

Purchase this painting here: "Now He Goes! TdF26-102" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 14: Are You Coming with Me?

While the American Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) tamped out a rhythm on the front of the reduced peloton for his team leader Jonas Vingegaard, others saw an opportunity to attack.  Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) jumped free of the peloton and found he had Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM) on his wheel.  The young Frenchman looked back at the Visma-Lease a Bike guys and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) perhaps surprised that they didn't respond to his attack.  After all, Seixas started the day in fifth place, and the French are convinced he has the capability of winning the Tour soon.  The Maillot a Pois, and the Maillot Jaune were right not to chase, Seixas was soon back in the fold, but his attack dislodge some other pretenders to the throne.

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: "Are You Coming with Me? TdF26-101" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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Tour '26, Stage 14: Maintaining

As the peloton containing all of the race favorites climbed the Ballon d'Alsace for the second time this Tour de France, it seems everyone was comfortable to maintain their positions in the general classification.  The group a was being led by the UAE Team Emirates trio of Isaac Del Toro, Felix Grosschartner, and Tadej Pogacar in his Maillot Jaune.  Next in line were Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).  He is wearing the Maillot a Pois on loan from Pogacar since he is in second place in the competition for the King of the Mountains title.  Vingegaard is looking back to his teammate the American Sepp Kuss.  I wonder what the conversation was about.  It is usual Kuss who sets up an attack for Jonas, just as Del Toro does for Tadej.

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.

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Tour '26, Stage 10: Winning Alone

So the French will have to wait another year for one of their countrymen to win the stage on Bastille Day.  Today, it went to a Slovenian by the name of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). He jumped cleared of the lone breakaway riders at the summit of the previous climb and then rode the final fourteen kilometers on his own.  That does seem to be his style.  More importantly he increased his lead over the rest of the field by thirty seconds or more.  It is beginning to be confirmed that he will wear the Maillot Jaune all of the way to Paris.  There are still eleven stages yet to race, and anything can happen, but he can be defensive for the rest of the Tour and make it near impossible for anyone to gain three-and-a-half minutes or more on this super Slovenia cyclist.  No bow to the crowd for this stage, just a "oh snap" gesture after point skyward and to his team's name on his kit.

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: "Winning Alone TdF26-72" (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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