Tour Final Stage: In the Gutter

It should come as no surprise that there was a break away on the cobbles of the Champs Elysees and that one of the attackers was Juan Antonio Flecha.  He was joined by the Brit, David Miller, who hoped against hope to surprise the sprinters and claim the victory on the boulevard of Paris.  It was probably a fool's errand with four marquee sprinters all with strong, fast lead out trains ready to bring their man to the finishing line first.  They are riding along the gutter to avoid the rough cobbles of the boulevard of Paris.  Hoping that the granite curb stones are smooth brings a risk of flats and clipping a pedal against the curb.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours byvisiting my artist website where you can purchase this painting.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the final stage of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2184481---186227/Painting.html#.UfJ8-c_D_IU

Tour Stage Twenty: In Search of Points

At the start of the day Pierre Rolland was in third place for the King of the Mountains Jersey even though he had it on his back for today's stage. " Why?", I hear you asking, the two ahead of him are Chris Froome, who is busy wearing Yellow and Nairo Quintana currently bedecked in White.  Since you really can't wear to jersey at once, the Polka Dot Jersey feel to Rolland who, again, was riding in third place on points.  Having worn the Jersey earlier in the Tour, he said out today to make it rightfully his, escorted by Jens Voigt, Burghardt and Flecha in the first break up the road.   His number is printed on a red field as the most combative rider from the previous stage.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that has been created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com    In addition, this painting is available for purchase at my artist website, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183689---186227/Painting.html#.UfCOc8vD_IU

Tour Stage Sixteen: Want to Go?

There was time to chat in the break with one topic being when are we going to get rid of everyone else.  Hoogerland seems to be asking Andreas Kloden and Navardauskas if they want to go for the attack now or wait for the final climb.  Hoogerland had the opportunity to show off his Netherland's Championship jersey for a long time with his break away companions.  The decision apparently made to wait for the Col du Manse, partly because it was a dive from the top to the finishing line.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182977---186227/Painting.html#.Ue7aL8_D_IU

Tour Stage Thirteen: What Are You Thinking?

Stage 13 started like the usual flat stage with an early break of five guys up the road.  They had roughly three and a half minutes before things started happening behind them.  At this time everyone was still blissfully unaware that today was not any different than what everyone thought it would be.  Perez has dropped back from his break away companions to chat over the break's chances with his director sportif.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com   In addition, this work is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182409---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2onc_D_IU

Tour Stage Twelve: Catching the Last One

Juan Antonio Flecha had spent the entire stage out in front of the peloton and was in no mood to give up the ghost, even after all of his companions had been swallowed up by the fast moving legs of the group.  It is very rare for a break away to succeed in the Tour (or any other stage race), I think only Bakelants has managed it so far in the 100th Tour, however this year's Giro was the race of the break away.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours through a visit to my artist website where you can purchase this original painting.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to bid on your little piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182393---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2jNM_D_IU

Tour Stage Twelve: Going Straight Through

A break away forms in every stage, well almost, and today was no exception.  This group of five got away at the drop of the starting flag and set about building up their advantage to eight minutes, before the peloton decided that that was far enough.  Juan Antonio Flecha managed to get himself into yet another break, riding off in hopes of repeating is only other stage win in 2003.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182377---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2fZ8_D_IU

Tour Stage Ten: Slipping Through Town

Five guys got away almost at the very start of the stage today, slipping through towns, fields and past crowds of cheering fans and held the peloton off until just about 15 kilometers to go.  The break include the local boy,  J. Simon of Sojasun and four others under the watchful eye of the motorcycle mounted photographer and the fans lining the sides of the roads of Brittany.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and like all of the other works in this project, it was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com   In addition, the work is available at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your artistic piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2179509---186227/Painting.html#.UeS2ysvD_IU

Tour Stage Eight: First to the Base

The first mountain stage of the 100th Tour de France had a long flat approach to the tallest pass that the Tour will cross in this edition of the Gande Boucle. This was the break that went early hoping that they could have a big head start on the big contenders of the GC.  The group contains Johnny Hoogerland in the colors of the Champion of the Netherlands, Jean-Marc Marino, Christophe Riblon (who is hoping to repeat his win on the same climb 3 years ago) and Rudy Melard all thinking they will be the ones to overturn the machine of Team Sky.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com, a great company that makes excellent art supplies.  The work is also available at my artist website,  just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2179361---186227/Painting.html#.UeSaFsvD_IU

Tour Stage Seven: Sitting Up

After 50 miles of chasing Team Cannondale and Peter Sagan, the sprinters had only pulled back 30 seconds, with another two minutes to get to Sagan and only another 20 miles left of the road the decision was made to stop the chase and sit up.  Basically it was a surrender to the well played gamble of Cannondale using the climbing ability of the Slovak Champion sprinter.  With Stage 8 being the first foray into the high mountains of the Pyrenees there was no sense in using a great deal of effort in a losing cause.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2178363---186227/Painting.html#.UeIaR8vD_IU

Tour Stage Five: On the Climb

Six guys got away on a break today although you can't see De Gendt in this painting, he was too busy sucking up all of the prizes and points along the stage.  The break also includes Arashia the Japanese National Champion riding for the French team Europcar, who managed to but two into the day's break.  The others included Reza of Europcar, Sicard of Euskadtel Euskadi, Lutsenko of Astana (the second youngest rider in the Tour) and Delaplace of Sojasun (one of the invitational French teams).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that like the rest of the works of the Tour was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this work is available at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your own piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2178271---186227/Painting.html#.UeHvcsvD_IU