Tour '25, Stage 6: Did I Drop Them?

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) jumped his erstwhile breakaway companions with another fifty kilometers to race.  As he opened up a gap to the other six he left behind, he peered over his shoulder to see if he had truly left them all behind.  His team lost their contender for the overall victory even before the Tour started due to illness.  So, they only can hope for stage wins to make their Tour a success.  Their team owner pointed out that the sponsors would be much happier with stage victories than managing to get someone into the top ten in the final general classification.  

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. 

"Did I Drop Them? TdF25-35" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 7: Riding in Hope

There are many ways Romain Bardet (Picnic-PostNL) could be hoping this would play out.  Naturally he was hoping for a final stage victory to end his career tomorrow.  But that would require the GC riders to watch each other on the final climb, not exactly Pogacar's skill set.  Instead, they hit the final climb with fire.  About four kilometers into the ascent to Valmeiner 1800, Bardet saw the inevitable and waved to the camera as he pulled the pin on his effort.  At the end of the day, with his father standing beside him on the podium, he was awarded the Most Combative rider of this stage.  I won't be surprised if he gets that honor for the entire Criterium du Dauphine.  I am sure he will give it one more go tomorrow.  Not a bad way to end one's racing career.

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.

"Riding in Hope CdD25-37" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Criterium du Daphine '25, Stage 1: Grab and Go

After his erstwhile breakaway, Paul Ourselin (Cofidis), companion had sat up Pierre Thierry (Arkea-B&B Hotels) figured he would carry on with his effort.  Most likely that decision will earn him the most combative prize for the opening stage of the Criterium du Dauphine.  As he passed the 45 kilometers to go point, he found his soigneur and some nutrition to help him continue his solo fight.

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.

"Grab & Go CdD25-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 6: Still of the Front

With 51 kilometers left in a cold fast stage, it was just Remi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ) left off the front from the original breakaway.  Even with all of the echelons forming behind Cavagna was still holding onto a two and three quarters of a minutes advantage.  No small feet with the drama happening behind him in the splintered peloton.

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.

"Still of the Front PN25-23" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 5: Alone, Again

As I mentioned in my previous post, Tobias Foss (Ineos-Grenadiers) jumped free of the peloton to join his teammate Ben Swift and Swift's breakaway companion.  When the trio hit the base of the penultimate climb of the day, Foss went off on a long solo run to the finish.  So, for the second day in a row, this former Norwegian champion was making a brave effort to win on his own ahead of a chasing peloton.  Alas, just like yesterday, he was caught (and dropped) on the final climb up to a summit finish.  He ended up finishing around 35th on the stage, a minute and three-quarters behind the stage winner.  Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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.

"Alone, Again PN25-19" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: One Has to Try

Ella Simpson (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93) was the next one to take on the death grip of the peloton.  They seemed a bit less threatened by this Australian on the French team.  Simpson built up almost two minutes before the peloton stormed into the intermediate sprint in Stirling.  She did pull the gap back out a bit before things got serious behind.  The peloton wasn't likely to repeat the mistake of the opening stage of this edition of the women's Tour Down Under.

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.

"One Has to Try TDU25-13" (Original art by Greig Leach)

UCI Worlds, Zurich 2024, Elite Men's Road Race: Alone on the Bell Lap

Before the start of the final lap around the Zurich 2024 course, Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) dropped the last of member of the UCI Road World Championship's Elite Men's start list on his way towards achieving his goal of winning the Rainbow Jersey of World Champion.  With just under thirteen kilometers left to go he was still holding his forty second advantage on the various groupings of chasers behind.  It was surprising to see just how many flags of Slovenia decorated the 27-kilometer course through Zurich.

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.

"Alone on the Bell Lap Z24-13" (Original art by Greig Leach)

 

Tour de France Femmes '24, Stage 5: One for the Road

Loes Adegeest (FDJ-Suez) went off the front of the peloton on her own.  As she built up a seventeen second lead on the peloton she found one of her soigneurs waiting to pass her a bidon.  The bidon most likely had a gel attached to give her some extra energy for the task ahead.  She has another 76 kilometers to race yet.  I believe she is exactly halfway through the stage.  I'm sure she is hoping that some others will come join her in the effort.  Holding her off the peloton for the next two and a half hours on her own is a rather tall order.  However, it should be noted that she led the time trial for almost the entire day until the final ten riders came home to knock her out of the hot seat.  It is clear from that she can ride well on her own.

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.

"One for the Road TdFF24-22" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 18: Using the Descent

After going over the Cote des Demoiselles first, Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos-Grenadiers) used his descending skills to build a gap on the large breakaway behind.  I love using the directional arrows that the Tour organization uses to warn the riders that the turn is tighter than it may seem going in.  It seems that there should be padding behind the yellow and black zebra stripes.  Usually however, they hay bales are wrapped in white and red diagonal plastic.  I am sure they have appeared in a number of my paintings over the past twelve years.

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.

"Using the Descent TdF24-112" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 16: Off on His Own

Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies) took advantage of the general regrouping after the intermediate sprint.  After the lead-out trains and sprinters sit up waiting for the peloton to catch back up, there is a chance for some opportunist to slip away.  I'm sure he wanted some others to join him in the effort, but no one got across the gap.  He did have a teammate try, but the teams of the sprinters weren't about to let a pair of teammates try and steal their thunder.  So, he was stuck out there on his own.  He did build up just shy of three minutes, before the peloton set about reeling him back in once they got to twenty kilometers to go.  

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. 

"Off on His Own TdF24-96" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 8: Still on His Own

With just another twenty-four kilometers to go (out of a total of 183.4), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) was still off the front of a peloton full of sprinters wanting to win the stage.  He was just getting the time gap to the group behind shown to him via the archaic method of the chalkboard.  I am sure his team car keeps him informed, but this is a holdover from before the days of GPS, race radios, and transponders.  The Tour has been dealing with off and on rain, wet roads, and much colder temperatures from the opening of the race in Italy.  It didn't seem that the conditions were bothering the Norwegian at all.  In fact, I imagine, this was a typical mid-summer day for him.

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.

"Still on His Own TdF24-43" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 8: On a Mission

It is now obvious that Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) has every intention of amazing as many King of the Mountain points as possible before the Tour gets to the Pyrenees.  He went out from the drop of the start flag in search of the top of the first of five climbs on the day.  He was joined by two others, but they were called back by their team.  He didn't let that worry him.  He simple carried on with his effort to grab the maximum points available out on the road today.  By this point he had taken maximum points on three climbs and picked up the maximum sprint points in the process.  He led that competition early just by being in the breakaway every day.   He still sits in third on points towards the Maillot Vert.  And clearly has the lead in the quest for the Maillot a Pois.

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.

"On a Mission TdF24-42" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Filming the Leader

I toyed with the idea of calling this one “following the leader” but felt that filming the leader was more apt.  In just twenty kilometers, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had stretched his lead to just under two minutes over the chasers behind.  They were being frustrated by his teammates latching onto their efforts but not putting in any pulls to bring back the Rainbow Jersey.  It is always stunning to see what the camera men and women will do on the back of a speeding motorcycle to give us all engaging images of the sport we all dearly love.  Of course, this camera angle is from underneath the hovering helicopter.

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/Spring-Classics-/4008491-572-195767/Painting/filming-the-leader.-pr24-13.html

Tour Down Under 24, Stage 1: Worth a Shot

The Pro Tour starts with the Tour Down Under, as riders flee the freezing temperatures of Europe for the heat of the Australian Summer.  With most of the the 140 plus kilometer stage yet to race, it was a bit early for Jardi Christian Van Der Lee (EF Education-EasyPost) to attempt a solo break away, but then it could have worked out should others have joined him in the effort.  Still, I and the rest of us, know he is in this year’s Tour Down Under.

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-Down-Under/3995480-178-194179/Painting/worth-a-shot.-tdu24-1.html

Tour de France Femmes 23, Stage 3, Still with a Chance

With just another three kilometers to race and the peloton thirty-two seconds back Julie Van De Velde (Fenix-Deceuninck) had a chance she might just get to the line first.  It is rare that the peloton full of sprinters let an opportunity for a mass sprint escape them, but Van De Velde was doing all she could to make that happen.  She had already claimed the right to be the one to start Stage 4 in the Maillot a Pois of best climber in the Tour de France Femmes (from her teammate), could she possibly also get the first stage win for her 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 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-2023/3967644-159-297438/Painting/still-with-a-chance-tdff23-15.html

 

Tour de France 23. Stage 13: Reading the Race

Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos-Grenadiers) knew at the start of the day that there would be a break away and he had best be in it.  He also read the stage enough to know that it would be another tale of two races if the break opened up enough of a lead on the general classification riders that were back in the peloton.  Finally, he was aware that any Frenchman in the break would bury themselves in hopes winning on Bastille Day.  Given all of that input, he was ready to go for it once the last guy off the front was caught.  At eight kilometers left to climb up the Grand Colombier, he had forty-one seconds on those that he had dropped, and three and a quarter minutes on the peloton of the elite of this year's Tour.  Does he have it in his legs to hold off those who's goal is to win the Tour in Paris?

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-2023/3965508-80-297438/Painting/reading-the-race-tdf23-80.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 11: He's Still Out There

I'm not sure why Daniel Oss (TotalEnergies) went into the early break away, but deep into the stage he was still out there.  Just a kilometer or two ago, the man who had started the break, Audrey Amador (EF Education-EasyPost) waved his farewell with a smile.  Undaunted, Oss continued on.  He stayed out there until the peloton started revving up the speed for the sprint finale with roughly fifteen kilometers to race.  I seriously doubt he will still be there to lead out Peter Sagan who hopes to win one more stage in the Tour before his retirement at the end of the year.

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-2023/3965108-65-297438/Painting/hes-still-out-there-tdf23-65.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 10: Checking His Advantage

Krists Neilands (Israel-Premier Tech) had used the descent of the penultimate climb of the day, the Cote de Saint Victor la Riviere, to slip away from is erstwhile break away companions.  With 54 kilometers to go, he was able to build an advantage, so much so that he couldn't see them when he peeked under his arm.  He seemed to have this effort well in hand, perhaps taking heart in the success of his teammate, Michael Woods, atop the Puy de Dome the day before the rest day.

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-2023/3964976-58-297438/Painting/checking-his-advantage-tdf23-58.html

Fleche Wallonne 23, Men’s Race: The Last Survivor

With just five kilometers and one very steep climb to go, Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-Deceuninck) was the last of those that had been off the front.  While he was not part of the original early break away, he did bridge up to the leaders with there was still another 35 kilometers to go.  At this point he still had twenty seconds on the big names in the race.  Normally, that had a chance to be enough, but today the last kilometer includes a climb that has sections at an eighteen percent gradient.  I had noticed a large hand made sign rooting him on half way up the climb.  I’m sure he saw it on the previous trips up the Mur de Huy.  Will it give him enough lift to stay away on the final ascent?

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 $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3946922-546-195767/Painting/the-last-survivor-fw23-10.html

Paris Nice 23, Stage 2: “I Know They Are Coming”

Jonas Gregaard (Uno-X) had gone off on his own early into today’s stage.  While it was definitely a long shot that he would be able to pull off a surprise stage win, he had already done enough to be the next wearer of the Maillot a Pois of best climber in the race.  He has one more category 3 climb left before the stage finishes in Fountainbleu.  Should he hold off the closing peloton until the top of that climb he can hold the lead in the King of the Mountains competition until the high mountains that come this weekend.

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 $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Paris-Nice/3938295-83-272742/Painting/i-know-they-are-coming.-pn23-1.html