Tour '25, Stage 12: Riding for Himself

I knew this moment would come eventually.  The young Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) had started the day four seconds ahead of his team leader, Primoz Roglic.  As the attacks started near the bottom of the Hautacam, Lipowitz stayed with Roglic in hopes that his leader would recover and be able to at least limit his loses on the climb through the screaming fans lining both sides of the narrow road.  I can only assume that Roglic and/or their sports director said go!  The youngster went hard closing swiftly on the two guys up the road in the final kilometers to the summit.  He finished the stage in third place two minutes and twenty-three seconds behind the stage winner, but only thirteen seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard.  He now sits fourth on the general classification, just forty-nine seconds off of the podium and the Maillot Blanc.  When, I said I knew this would come, he was my pick for stage honors and a member of my Tour de France fantasy team.  

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.

"Riding for Himself TdF25-80" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Stage 9: Surrendering the Jersey

To understand why Astana did not put in a hard chase to catch Tony Martin (OPQS) is easy, he started the day 19 minutes behind their Yellow Jersey clad team leader, Vincenzo Nibali.  Why they let Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Belisol) needs a better understanding of the limits of a team over a very grueling three week race.  Nibali has held the Jersey since Stage 2 and with that his team has had to chase the moves, ride tempo on the front of the peloton and protect their race leader.  The job means that they are expending a great deal of energy, energy that they will need at the end of the Tour as well.  By letting the Jersey move to a rider that they believe will not be a threat in the high mountains.  They seem to believe that Gallopin fits the bill, now it will be Lotto-Belisol that will be riding on the front kilometer in and kilometer out while Astana can save some energy, recover and be ready for Nibali to retake the Maillot Jaune closer to Paris.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting will be part of my soon to be self publish book, "Book de Tour" the Tour through the eyes of an artist.  To learn more about the book, to pre order your copy, and to possibly get involved in bringing the artistic Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour  If you would like to purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2402082---199992/Painting.html#.U8NAcc_D_IU

Tour Stage Eleven: A Flash of Yellow

I loved the phrase that Phil Liggett used to describe what the spectators got to see as Chris Froome went by them in his aerodynamic tuck, "A Flash of Yellow".  It just seemed to perfect not to be a title of a painting, it just suits this image so well.  Chris Froome was confident that he would ride a good time trial, but I don't think he thought that he would gain time on everyone except the stage winner, Tony Martin (but then Martin is so far down on GC, that he was not threat to the jersey).  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 the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182369---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2dFM_D_IU