Tour '26, Stage 15: High Fiving His Doppelganger

Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) attacked the breakaway with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) as they started up the Col de la Croisette.  Jumping out of the crowd waving an American flag was an uber-fan.  Perhaps mimicking his greeting of his dad in stage 13, Simmons high fived the fan who dressed as his favorite pro cyclist.  This guy seemed to have a wig and a real mustache in an effort to look like the flamboyant USA National Champion.  Just to make sure everyone knew he was supposed to be, he had Simmons' logo on the front of his tank top and his photo on the back.  The high five will be the topic of conversation for the rest of the fan's life.  NBC/Peacock enjoyed it, too.  They showed it several times, including once in slo-mo.

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: "High Fiving His Doppelganger TdF26-107" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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

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 '26, Stage 9: Keeping an Eye on the Break

I like it when I can use a title that can convey two different meanings, both of which are going on here.  First, we can see the TV Moto cameraman keeping the camera's eye on the break (yes, clearly there is another TV Moto in front of the group, too) and, second, the peloton is keeping a close metaphorical eye on the break.  The UAE Team Emirates led peloton isn't letting this group get any sizable advantage today.  Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) opting for white shorts to go with his USA Champion jersey and his teammate Canadian Derek Gee-West are in a group along with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5), Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarche) and a couple of others only have built up and advantage of a minute-and-a half.  Neither I nor the team of commentators can work out why the peloton are keeping the break so close.  The highest placed member of the break is just shy of ten minutes behind the lead held by Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates.

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: "Keeping an Eye on the Break TdF26-60" (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 3: Tightly Packed

The peloton had started the process of pulling back the breakaway when there was still another seventy-five kilometers to ride to Angers.  The gap had been out to four minutes but by now it was just over three minutes to the four-woman group off the front.  Inside the peloton Kimberley Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal) was riding with her teammates shepherded by the Belgium Champion Justine Ghekiere.  Next to the Maillot Jaune Herietta Christie (EF Education-Oatley) passes a bottle over to her teammate (an USA National Champion) Kristen Faulkner.  Faulkner came to the world's notice when she won the Gold Medal in the Olympic Road Race on the same course that the men finished the Tour de France yesterday.

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. 

"Tightly Packed TdFF25-12" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 21: An American in Paris

I confess, I couldn't resist.  Once Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) attacked after helping his sprinter take the final intermediate sprint all I had to do was wait for him to come back down the other side of the Champs Elysees.  I realize that the previous painting was very similar, but come on, the title was just sitting there.  Simmons has either been on the front of the peloton or off the front seemingly every stage of this Tour de France, so why wouldn't he attack in Paris.  At the end of the race NBC cameras caught him proposing to his girlfriend.  Judging by her leaping into his arms, I would say the answer was yes.

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. 

"An American in Paris TdF25-142" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold.

Tour '25, Stage 19: That Should Seal It

Lidl-Trek hit the front as soon as Prudhome waved the flag at kilometer zero.  They were off with one sole purpose today and that was to get the maximum sprint points for their man Jonathan Milan.  With this intermediate sprint he should now have enough points to carry the Maillot Vert all of the way to Paris.  Should Tadej Pogacar not win the stage that should make it mathematically impossible for the yellow jersey to win the green one too.  So yet again, Milan out sprinted everyone within his group at the intermediate sprint out gunning Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies).  His team has been so strong that the USA Champion Quinn Simmons who is on his team took fourth in the sprint.  Even he had the legs to outsprint Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno X-Mobility).  Although, I discovered moments later that Abrahamsen was preparing for the post sprint counter move to start the breakaway.

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. 

"That Should Seal It TdF25-125" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Tour '25, Stage 15: One of These Four?

With forty-five kilometers yet to race, it was beginning to look like the break from the breakaway would be the ones to fight it out for the stage victory when they reach Carcassonne.  There are four more guys behind this quartet of Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike), Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling), Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates).  They do have nineteen seconds on those chasers, with the rest of the early break strewn over the course as much as four minutes behind.  Even further back is the peloton tooling along over six minutes later.  I should note, there is an even bigger group of sprinters and other even further back then the peloton.

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.

"One of these Four? TdF25-98" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 10: Are They Still There?

Shortly after Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) found his parents along the side of the road on the climb of one of the uncategorized hills, he went off on his own.  With twenty-seven kilometers to go, he was hoping to improve his previous second place behind the man that is chasing him right now.  I now know that my suspicion about what is going to happen when Simmons tucks up his hair.  He came to the start today with his hair up under his helmet, I think he had a plan tucked up under there too.  Chasing the American champion is the former Irish champion, Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) along with Anders Halland Johannessen (Uno X-Mobility), Pablo Castrillo (Movistar), and Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech).  At this point in the stage, Ben Healy was the virtual leader of the Tour.  Now he has to rely on his legs, and a detente between the leaders of the Tour about five minutes back down 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. 

"Are They Still There? TdF25-62" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 10: Unchallenged

With the lone attack of Ben O'Connor pulled back into the leading breakaway, it was Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious) who jumped clear in search of the King of the Mountain points just a few meters up the road.  He was unchallenged by the group behind containing Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech), Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike), and Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost).  From this group he was the lone Frenchman hoping to make his mark on this Bastille Day.  In addition, with these points he becomes the virtual Maillot a Pois.  And with this climb, he is ensured that the French will have one of their own on the podium on their day of independence.  

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.

"Unchallenged TdF25-59" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 6: Attacking His Companion

Having missed the leader's solo attack, Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) had worked together after dropping the rest of their erstwhile breakaway companions.  As Simmons realized they weren't getting any closer to the sole escapee up the road, it was time to go after him alone.  It was cleared that the USA National Champion had come out to try and take the stage today.  I think I have figured out his tell (to use a poker reference).  If is hair is down, he is there to work for the team, or to take the day off.  However, if he has tucked his hair up under his helmet, it is game on!  He wasn't able to get rid of Storer until the climb up to the finish, but it was for second place on 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 $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"Attacking His Companion TdF25-38" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 6: Is It Established?

After multiple attempts to get a breakaway started it looks like it may have finally formed.  As they flew down the first categorized climb of the day it was Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) in his USA National Champion jersey pushing the pace to increase the gap from its current forty-five seconds.  He was joined by his countryman Will Barta (Movistar) and the erstwhile Maillot Jaune, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).  Both the parcours of the stage and the composition of this five-man group meant this could be a stage winning move.  It really does all depend on how the battle for the general classification plays out in the peloton behind.

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. 

"Is It Established? TdF25-33" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting is sold!

Tour '25, Stage 1: The Job at Hand

With a small but strong breakaway up the road, it fell to the teams of the sprinters to keep them honest.  It seemed that every time we saw the front of the peloton it was the two-time USA National Champion, Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) as his team's sole representative keeping the escapees in check.  He was joined in the effort by the lion share of Alpecin-Deceunick with Silvan Dillier doing most of his team's workload.  With 165 kilometers to race, it was the Stars and Stripes jersey that started pulling down the two-and-a-half-minute gap up to the five-man breakaway.

With the Tour starting the day after July 4th, this will have to do as my patriotic July 4th 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.

"The Job at Hand TdF25-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

I am happy to say that this painting has sold!

Tour '24, Stage 6: Happy Fourth!

It was kind of France TV's camera man to catch sight of the USA National Champion, Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost) bedecked in the Stars and Stripes.  He was working his way back up through the peloton has he passed Jan Hirt (Soudal-Quick Step) and Oscar Onley (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) amongst others.  Happy Fourth of July to all who celebrate!

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.

"Happy Fourth! TdF24-31" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Amstel Gold Women - Giving It a Go

On the penultimate trip up the Cauberg it was Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) giving it a go on the front of the peloton.  She has been able to use these short steep climbs to get away in the past, so no one was letting her go this time.  It was a treat to see the Stars and Stripes of the USA National Champion Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo) at the head of affairs today.  One must root for one's own country women.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

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