Tour Stage Twenty: A Victorious Future

The 100th edition of the Tour de France was highly populated with young exciting, strong riders from around the world.  This young Colombian, Nairo Quintana, at the age of 23 shows that the future of cycling is in great hands.  He has been fighting on every mountain stage of the Tour, sometimes going too soon and sometimes not using the best strategies, but today, it all came right.  His team had ridden hard on the front of the peloton for hours, then his teammate Valverde attacked the group dispatching everyone but Porte, Froome, Contrador and Rodriquez.  After an attack by the Katusha rider, some counters by Froome, Quintana attacked as soon as he caught back up to Froome.  He counted on Froome not being able to respond having just tried a hard push into his red zone.  Having got a gap on the others, he was off to his first stage victory in his first Tour de France.  He will ride into Paris having one a stage, the White Jersey and the Polka Dot Jersey all in his first visit to the Tour and at the young, young age of 23!  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for sale 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%202013/2183723---186227/Painting.html#.UfCe3cvD_IU

Tour Stage Nineteen: Grabbing the Newspaper

With all of the technology in the Tour, from carbon fiber bikes to hydraulic brakes to electronic shifters it is somehow comforting to know that riders will grab newspapers to put in the front of their jerseys for the ride down the mountain.  They do this to keep warm, having sweated on the ride up, they need to block the wind from cooling them down too much.  This was one of the first times I have seen a team helper standing at the top of a climb handing out papers, they usually are passing water bottles.  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%202013/2183651---186227/Painting.html#.UfCAYs_D_IU

Tour Stage Nineteen: Sprinting for the Top

With the peloton willing to take it as easy as possible it was a good day to be in a break away, plus everyone who was allowed to go were at least 45 minutes back of the Malliot Jaune.  These two, Hesjedal and Izaguirre, are out in front of another group of forty other riders.  Ryder Hesjedal, who won the 2012 Giro d'Italia, has been having a rough Tour since cracking a rib early on in this year's race.  I'll let that sink in for a minute...  He has been riding in the toughest race in the world for 16 stages with a broken rib!  And now,  he is attacking on a 5 categorized climb stage after a stage that climbed the fabled Alpe d'Huez, twice.  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 art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183649---186227/Painting.html#.UfB93s_D_IU

Tour Stage Nine: Amongst the Crowds

The Tour de France is the largest most highly attended free sporting event in the world.  Cycling fans can stop anywhere along the 2,100 mile course and see their favorite riders pass by sometimes with in inches of where they are standing.  The choice viewing points are always on the tops of climbs where Tours are won or lost and the riders are moving the slowest these guys ever go.  This is the huge crowd standing on the penultimate climb of Stage 9 still cheering as the third major group on the road slogs up the climb praying for the KOM line at the top.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting 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%202013/2179459---186227/Painting.html#.UeSwuM_D_IU

Dauphine Stage Six: Sharing At the Top

I don't think I have seen this before.  While it is now custom to have team helpers stand at the top of climbs to pass out water bottles to the riders before they descend, I don't think I have ever seen a bottle passed to a non-team member rider.  Chapeau, BMC!  This is another rather large break, we are only seeing just the first three to go over the mountain top.  The large inflatable with the red polka dots show the line where the climbing points will be awarded.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com  In addition, this work is available for purchase through my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2162017---185083/Painting.html#.Ubu7Z8_D_IU