Paris Nice '25, Stage 6: Taking Full Advantage

As I said earlier, I don't know which team started the move that blew the peloton apart, but these seventeen guys on five different teams were taking full advantage of the move.  Now that they have caught the last member of the morning breakaway, they have built a minute and twenty seconds on the next group on the road.  Ineos-Grenadiers have the entire team here minus Ben Swift, and Visma-Lease a Bike have everyone on their team still in the race.  Jonas Vingegaard didn't start today due to his injuries in his crash in stage 5.  Max Schachman (Soudal-Quick Step) is the only member of his team to make it into the group.  Both Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have their best young rider Florian Lipowitz in the group along with Matteo Sobrero.  Lidl-Trek was the other team to get their best young rider Mattias Skjelmose along with his teammate and power sprinter Mads Pedersen.  With just twenty-one kilometers to go, it seems most likely that the stage winner is in this group.  And since the Maillot Jaune on the shoulders of Matteo Jorgenson is here, it is equally unlikely that there will be a new race leader tomorrow.  The other steps of the podium will certainly alter, however.

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.

"Taking Full Advantage PN25-25" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour de France, Final Stage: On to the Champs Elysees

Following tradition, and each other, Team Sky lead the peloton onto the iconic Champs Elysees at the start of 10 laps from the Place de Concorde to the l'Arc de Triomphe.  Team Sky follow another tradition of adding some yellow element to their team kit to celebrate having the Maillot Jaune among their team members.  Sky cleverly replaced the traditional bright blue stripe on the kit (and their team car) with the Yellow of the leader of the Tour de France.  As he crosses the finish line in just a few hundred meters from here, he will officially be the winner of the 102nd Tour de France.  After that it will be time for the marquee sprinters still in the Tour to show their stuff to the thousands of fans that have been on the side of the road for hours.

This is an original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware, since this is an original work of art, once it has sold, it is gone.  I would recommend not delaying.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2586308-145-210122/Painting.html#.VbW6-PlViko

Tour de France, Final Stage:The Beginning of the End

The leader of the race, Chris Froome (Team Sky) pedals up alongside the Race Director's car to shake hands with Christian Prudhomme.  At the start of each day's racing, there is a short neutral section of riding before Prudhomme will pull in the depart flag and let the racing begin.  Froome could be heard apparently apologizing to Prudhomme.  A little bit later we could make out that Froome was checking to see if the laps on the Champs Elysees would be neutralized or not.  The final decision was to take the time of riders as they crossed the finish line on the first lap, due to the rains that had made the cobble stones dangerously slick.  One only had to watch La Course early in the morning to see just what could happen to the peloton and potentially to the Maillot Jaune.

This is an original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware, since this is an original work of art, once it has sold, it is gone.  I would recommend not delaying.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2586298-144-210122/Painting.html#.VbW4zPlViko

Ruta del Sol Stage 3: Flying Up the Mountain

With his arms stretched wide, Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo), cleared the summit of the climb with just a few more meters to the finishing line.  As he crossed the line he gave his customary pistol salute.  He can now be confident that he has good form and that he was able to drop one of his main rivals in the mountains.  However, he is seasoned enough to know that there is still another mountain top stage in this race, and thousands and thousand of kilometers to race before the end of the season.  A season that may be close to his last.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Other%202015%20Cycling%20Art/2514796---206768/Painting.html#.VOmHLdg5DIU

Tour Down Under Stage 1: Punching the Air

It was Jack Bobridge (UniSA-Australia) who managed to get the jump on his breakaway companions using a small little rise to launch his attack almost in the shadow of the sprint trains of the peloton.  With his win at the line, taking the first intermediate sprint and being the first over the only climb of the day, he will be pulling on at least three leader's jerseys on the podium this evening.  But it will be the Ochre Jersey of race leader on his back at the starting line for Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under.  Not bad for the hometown boy.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available for purchase (only $50 USD) through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

If you are enjoying the artwork on this blog (and the writings too) please check out my new book, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  You can find the book through most online stores throughout the world, just google the title to learn where you can get your copy.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2499424---194179/Painting.html#.VL8PTk05DIU

Dauphine Stage 1: Starting His Defense

Chris Froome (Team Sky) by virtue of winning the Dauphine last year, was the last cyclist to roll down the start ramp to speed through the streets and tunnel of Lyon in search of a Yellow Jersey, the Malliot Jaune of race leader.  Through the course, he appeared to be staying even with Alberto Contrador (Tinkoff Saxo) who has the current race lead and riding just ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), but it is the time at the finishing line that matters.  Froome's time was three seconds better than Contrador giving him the first leader's jersey of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine.  This is an original small 4"x6" watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  This original art is only $50 USD and I do ship internationally.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386054---199476/Painting.html#.U6Bqos_D_IU

Tour Down Under: Bringing Home the Jersey, Final Stage

With all but the final sprint to contest Orica-Greenedge and Simon Gerrans could begin to believe that they had secured the Ochre Jersey and the over all win of the Tour Down Under.  At this point they are only about 5 kilometers away from the magical point in the rules were even with a crash all of the riders will be given the same time as those they were with at the finish line.  Orica-Greenedge knows that the sprinters will be able to best any of the other GC contenders that are in need of the seconds on offer at the finale.  So, Chapeau, Orica-Greenedge and Simon Gerrans!  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the Santos Tour Down Under.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2299321---194179/Painting.html#.UuXPcMso7IU

Tour of Britain Stage 3: Flying Around

Gerald Ciolek who started the day in the Golden Jersey of race leader also had the advantage of being the last rider out on the course in today's individual time trial.  The advantage being that he knew all of the times of every rider in the race therefor knowing what time he had to finish by to keep the leader's jersey.  Knowing what time you need to make and being able to do it are two entirely different things as Ciolek was unable to rival the time of the Olympic time trial Champion, Bradley Wiggins.  So not only did Wiggo win the stage, but his time was enough to put him into the golden leader's jersey, which is the rightful place for Sir Bradley Wiggins to be in his home tour.  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 piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2212665-6-0-189075/Painting/Sports.html#.UjsypM_D_IU