Tour Femmes '26, Stage 2: Calm and Controlled

With twenty-eight kilometers until the finish in Geneva, SD Worx-Protime had control on the front of the peloton as they chased the lone woman up the road.  At this point Lorena Wiebes in her Maillot Jaune following the wheels of her teammates including Micha Bredewold and Nienke Vinke, felt comfortable in her team's ability to reel in Riejanne Markus.  Tucked in behind the work of the team of the yellow jersey were Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek) and her teammate Amanda Spratt.  Those two weren't going to help in the chase since Markus was on Lidl-Trek, too.  It wasn't until they hadn't gotten any closer in the next fifteen kilometers that the team began to lose the coolness and feared they may not have things under control after all.

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: "Calm and Controlled TdFF26-10" (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 1: Poursuivante

With forty-three kilometers until they were all back in Lusanne, Amanda Spratt (Lidl-Trek) was slowly chasing down the four women up the road.  She has about another minute-and-a-half before she joins the quartet with only the Shimano Neutral Service moto to keep her company.  It took her a while, but she did finally join up with the leaders.  With her strength, will they have more hope of keeping away from the peloton until the finale.

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: "Poursuivante TdFF26-4" (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 '26, Stage 14: Coming Across

Thymen Arensman (Netcompany-Ineos) had the misfortune of having a flat tire on the previous climb.  The guy he was with has now joined the leaders of the stage, but he is continuing to try and chase back on.  At this point he is still twenty-four seconds behind them.  As he continues to climb the Col du Page he still has two-and-a-half minutes on the peloton containing all of the leaders' jerseys including the Green Jersey of the sprinters.  But then, that is on the shoulders of Mads Pedersen who is a decent climber for a sprinter.  Sadly, Arensman never made it back to the breakaway.  Under the advice of his director sportif, he sat up and joined back up with the peloton further up the Col du Page.

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: "Coming Across TdF26-96" (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 4: Flying Across the Gap

Franziska Koch (Picnic-PostNL) joined up with the Brazilian Ana Vitoria Magalhaes (Movistar) as they left the peloton and chased done the lone leader, Maud Rijnbeek.  They didn't hang around, immediately dropping the Dutch woman as they went off it hopes of beating the odds.  They had another seventy-eight kilometers to race, so it would be a long effort, and a long shot, to vie for stage victory.  Since their team cars couldn't get through the tightly packed peloton, they were being looked after by the Shimano neutral service moto.  

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.

"Flying Across the Gap TdFF25-19" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 17: Making a Well-Timed Attack

It usually is a bad sign if you have to explain a joke, but that is the case with this title. (unless you get it).  Tissot is a watch company that is also responsible for all of the race timing at the Tour de France and many other sporting events.  Once the peloton had gotten close to the break, Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) jumped free of the peloton in a quest to join up with the four-man break up the road.  Wout got withing twenty seconds, but not further.  After about five kilometers off the front he was reeled back in by the group chasing behind.  I think the sprinter's teams were confident that they could catch the break that had been out in the front all day, but a strong man like Van Aert with fresh legs may well be a very different matter.  

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.

"Making a Well-Timed Attack TdF25-114" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 15: Nice Work

With the winning breakaway up the road, the one that broke away from the breakaway, Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) joined forces with Warren Barguil (Picnic-PostNL) to bridge up to the leaders.  As they were almost there Vlasov said something to the Frenchman.  I obviously have no idea what was said but I imagine it was some form of, "Hey, nice job!"  I wonder what language that used to chat.

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.

"Nice Work TdF25-97" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 11: Sprinting Across the Gap

Realizing that there was a good chance that the breakaway was going to succeed in vying for the stage victory today, Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) and Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) sprinted across the gap to join those up front.  It was the right move.  The peloton was close, but they continued to lose a second here, and a second there on the breakaway that went from kilometer zero.  Behind the duo, the neutral support motorcycle provided by Shimano is ever ready to provide mechanical assistance should it be needed.

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. 

"Sprinting Across the Gap TdF25-68" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '25, Stage 6: Five Chasing Two Chasing One

Given all of the effort it took to get into what will almost certainly be the winning move of the day, it isn't that surprising that these five got dropped first by the lone attack of Ben Healy and then the counter move by both Quinn Simmons and Michael Storer.  This quintet of Will Barta (Movistar), Eddy Dunbar (Jayco-Alula), Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Harold (XDS-Astana) had built up three-and-a-half minutes on the peloton containing the Maillot Jaune.  Van Der Poel had started the day a minute-and-a-half behind Tadej Pogacar, after yesterday's individual time trial.  At this point he still had the virtual yellow jersey by two minutes.  We know why he had worked so hard to get himself into this move.  

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. 

"Five Chasing Two Chasing One TdF25-37" (Original art by Greig Leach)

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!

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 5: Poursuivants

As the Lidl-Trek led peloton slowed on the climb of the Col de Boubon in hopes of keeping their sprinter in the bunch, this trio saw the chance to slip away.  Started by Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), he was quickly joined by Gregor Muhlberger (Movistar) and Tobias Foss (Ineos-Grenadiers).  To translate the title, this trio was pursuing the five men that were another twenty-eight seconds up the road.  While they did build up a half of a minute on the peloton, they never got any closer to the early breakaway.  It wasn't too much longer before they found the peloton sucking them back into the fold.

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.

"Poursuivants CdD25-24" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Gent-Wevelgem '25: Chasing the Leaders

With the early breakaway within reach, first Johan Jacobs (Groupama-FDJ) and then Victor Campenaerts (Visma-Lease a Bike) go off the front of the peloton in hopes of joining the leaders with 100 kilometers to go.  Campenaerts was successful in the effort, but Jacobs didn't quite have the legs to stay on the Belgium's wheel.  

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.

"Chasing the Leaders" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 4: Up to Something

With another fifty-four kilometers to race, it was a bit odd to see the Ineos-Grenadiers duo of Tobias Foss and Josh Tarling go on the attack out of the peloton.  The two were chasing a group of eight riders still up the road from the early breakaway.  The race still had three more climbs including the mountain top finish to race.  I have to assume that the team had some grand plan they wanted to enact for their race leader in hopes of pulling back time lost in yesterday's team time trial.

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.

"Up to Something PN25-12" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 1: Full Chase Mode

With a yellow jersey on offer on an opening sprint stage, it wasn't likely that the breakaway was going to be given a chance to succeed.  As the race came on air, we were treated to the peloton led by Alpecin-Deceuninck in full cry.  Their quarry, the two-man break, was just another three seconds 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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Full Chase Mode PN25-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Men's Road Race: Two Chasing

With a group up the road, both Christophe Laporte (France) and Matteo Jorgenson (USA) knew they had to try and get across.  They had only another 23 kilometers to race through Paris and at this point all of the Olympic medals were up the road.  Laporte was taking a risk pulling another rider up to his teammate, but Madouas wasn't the designated man for the French team.  I'm not sure why they didn't have faith in him, he had just raced an excellent Tour de France two weeks ago.  And now, the man they were riding for, Julian Alaphilippe, wasn't in the mix anymore.  It should be noted that these two ride on the same pro team, Visma-Lease a Bike, so they well know the other's strengths and weaknesses.

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. 

"Two Chasing PO24-56" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 5: The Tractor Swings Off

With the intermediate sprint coming in just four kilometers and another 58 kilometers it was time for Tim Declercq (Lidl-Trek) to get on with his job of chasing down the break away.  He was getting help from Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Deceunick) in the effort.  The two are both know as break away killers, and they seemed to be living up to their names.  On their wheels sits one of the Americans in the race, Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike).  His job is to look after his team leader, keeping him safe in the peloton and out of the wind.  There is no chance that the break will be caught by the intermediate sprint, but everyone is confident that escapees will be swept up before the sprint in Aoste.

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. 

"The Tractor Swings Off TdF24-24" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France 23, Stage 12: Not Letting Anyone Go

Over 65 kilometers into a hilly stage and no one has yet been able to escape the clutches of the peloton.  Mathieu Burgaudeau (TotalEnergies) looks back to find he has Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) on his wheel.  Behind him, are riders from Lotto-Dstny and Arkea-Samsic creating stepping stones back to the peloton.  Each time someone would attack like Burgaudeau others would think this was going to be the move.  As they tried to bridge up to the newest escapee, they would pull the peloton along thus nullifying the attack.  This happen over, and over, and over again making this a very hard 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 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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3965316-67-297438/Painting/not-letting-anyone-go-tdf23-67.html