Tour '25, Stage 9: Pro Forma

Today did not start out as expected.  From the very first meters of the start Jonas Richaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) went off the front alone.  He was quickly joined by his teammate Mathieu Van Der Poel.  Van Der Poel has already won a stage of this Tour and has worn the Maillot Jaune for three of the nine stages (including today) thus far.  I was quite surprised that the peloton was letting these two go.  I wasn't alone in that surprise.  By the time they reached the intermediate sprint point in La Bell Indienne twenty-four kilometers into the stage the duo of teammates had built up almost four minutes on the peloton.  Giving Van Der Poel this much of an advantage seems unwise despite the 150 kilometers left to race to Chateauroux.  As they rolled through the pro forma sprint - for it wasn't really a sprint - it was Van Der Poel grabbing the maximum points, naturally.

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.

"Pro Forma TdF25-53" (Original art by Greig Leach)

UCI Worlds, Zurich 2024, Elite Men's Road Worlds: Stretching Their Advantage

Both Tadej Pogacar (Slovenia) and Pavel Sivakov (France) both look over at the timekeeper's motorcycle to see just how far back the chaser are.  With 73 kilometers the duo from UAE Team Emirates were stretching out their advantage to just shy of a minute over those closest behind them.  Pogacar had waited for Sivakov at the top of a climb after they escaped the breakaway.  He knew that despite his strength there was still too many kilometers to try and go it alone to the finish line.  However, he eventually found the Slovenian's pace just too much to stay on his 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.  

"Stretching Their Advantage Z24-11" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Men’s Race: Won’t You Work?

The former German National Champion Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) was getting a bit frustrated with Jan Tratnik (Visma-Lease a Bike).  Politt had made the move that got away from the rest of the leading group and then was joined by Tratnik, a move that Visma had been pulling repeatedly over the last fifty kilometers.  However once the man in yellow had joined Politt, he left the German to do all of the work.  Politt wanted to stay away from the chasers that contained some strong sprinters.  His only hope was to ride alone into the final meters of the race.  There seemed to be no way that Tratnik was going to let that happen.  The two had eighteen seconds on those behind with under six kilometers left to race.

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-/4001382-552-195767/Painting/wont-you-work-ohn24-9.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 12: Getting to the Climb First

The former Dutch Champion, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had used his superior descending skills to get away from the rest of the break away on the Col de la Casse Froide.   He then teamed up with Andrey Amador (EF Education-EasyPost) in the valley. Today is Amador's second appearance in a stage break away in as many days.  This one does have a much better chance of succeeding than yesterday's effort.  The pair came to the penultimate climb of the day, the Col de la Croix Montmain, with nearly a minute on the four chasers.  Is this going to be the move to stay off the front?  Van Der Poel was certainly showing he was on great form today, despite his troubles yesterday.  Or was he just sandbagging in order to have the freshest legs today?

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-2023/3965342-71-297438/Painting/getting-to-the-climb-first-tdf23-71.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 7: You Gotta Try

 After the intermediate sprint, this duo of Nans Peters (Ag2r-Citroen) and Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) jumped clear of the peloton and chased down the lone leader, Simon Gugleilmi (Arkea-Samsic).  After catching him at the base of the only small climb of the day, they pressed on in a near futile effort to steal a stage from the sprinters and their teams.  Given the heat of the day, it was no surprise to see the motorcycle bedecked in Vittel water logos passing out bidons to riders along the road.  Yes, they both took one before the moto driver dropped back to find others who may need some hydration or a cooling spray.

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-2023/3964290-40-297438/Painting/you-gotta-try-tdf23-40.html

Tour '22, Stage 15: Is this Worth the Effort?

Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) jumped clear of the peloton on the climb of the Cote des Commazes to grap the King of the Mountain points mainly to help defend his teammate Simon Geschke's lead in the competition for the Maillot a Pois.  Going over the top, he was joined by Alexis Gougeard (B&B Hotels-KTM).  The two built up a 22 second lead on the chasing peloton with just 30 kilometers left to race.  Thomas looked over at Gougeard to ask if he thought this attempt had any real chance of succeeding.  Although, not long after, Thomas attacked his fellow Frenchman and set off on his own.  It wasn't until inside the final kilometer of the day that the peloton caught him without any mercy.  Still I am sure he was award the red bib number of most combatative rider of the 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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3894251-93-294403/Painting/is-this-worth-the-effort-tdf22-94.html

Tour '22, Stage 15: You Good?

The duo of Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Mikkel Honore (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) were never able to build up a big advantage over the peloton behind.  I don't think they ever got over a two minute advantage.  After going over the Cote d'Ambialet, Politt looked back at Honore seemingly asking how he was doing.  The other question perhaps was, "should we keep going, or is this worthless now?"  Every rider must ration their efforts over the three week of the Tour.  Think of a box of matches, you only have so many to strike before your box is empty.  So it is with a three week Tour, you can only put in but so many hard days before your body is simply empty.  Hopefully, one will not burn one's matches vainly.

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, and yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3894177-90-294403/Painting/what-do-we-do-now-tdf22-91.html

Tour of Britain, Stage 2: Down to Two

Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) had bridged across to the leaders, dropped all of them and all but Julian Vermote (Etixx-Quickstep) of the leaders' group.  Cummings usually goes solo to the line when he wins a stage, but he welcomed the help of Vermote in getting away from everyone else.  The two quickly put forty seconds between themselves and the rest of those on the road.  So with just three kilometers left to race the winner was sure to be one of these two.  Spoiler alert!  It was Vermote who had the legs on the final short climb to claim the win and the Yellow Jersey.  Cummings held on for second and now sits second on the general classification.

I wasn't satisfied (nor all that interested) in the victory salute as Vermote crossed the line, so this has to do for the painting of his win.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848051-41-189075/PaintingDown%20to%20Two-Greig-Leach.html#.V84hH5grLIU