Tour, Final Stage: Beer Thirty

As I said in the previous post, I have worked in theatre off and on for years.  One of the traditions for the theatrical crews is "beer thirty" and as a designer I have supplied the beer to the crew that made me look good, that made me succeed.  I was delighted to see that Chris Froome (Sky) omitted the traditional champagne, and pass bottles of beer around to his "crew" who without them he would not be wearing the Maillot Jaune.  By toasting the team with beer Froome underscored that he raced this Tour in an unpredictable manner gaining the Yellow Jersey by doing the unexpected.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  While you are on the site, be sure to check out my other works of art and my two cycling books.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Bear in mind that this is a one of a kind original and once it is gone, it is gone.

Be sure to check out my second cycling art book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships, available online or through your local book seller.

To buy this painting, follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2828438-156-224974/PaintingBeer%20Thirty%20TdF157-Greig-Leach.html#.V5U1LbgrLIU

Tour Final Stage: Toasting the Team

Yet another tradition of the Tour de France is for the winner of the Yellow Jersey to have a glass of champagne on the gentle ride towards the Seine and the Champs Elysees.  Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) true to his character, went to the team car and collected glasses of bubbly for each and everyone of his teammates who had worked so hard to get him into the Jersey and to keep him there.  It was an act of bike handling to collect nine glasses and then to ride to each teammate to hand them a glass.  Astana is one of the few teams that brought all nine riders all of the way around the Tour.  They did come very close to losing Jakob Fuglsang on a crash coming down a mountain, but he got back on the bike and kept going all the way to Paris.  When Nibali won the 2013 Giro d'Italia, they skipped the glasses and passed the bottle around, each taking big pulls off of the magnum as they rode along.  It is amusing to know that his General Manager had criticized the Italian for failing to produce results in the earlier part of the season, Nibali simply let his legs give the answer.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This work and all of my paintings of the 2014 Tour de France will be included in my soon to be self published "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bringing the art of the Tour to print, pleas visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some great incentives to get you to back the book starting for as little as $5 USD, everyone who pledges their support will have their name included in print on the Special Thanks page of the book.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But don't you want all of the paintings in a book form?  Of course you do!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2409002---199992/Painting.html#.U9WTfsvD_IU

Tour Final Stage: Cheers!

Chris Froome and the whole of Team Sky could finally relax on their ride into Paris, all that had to be done is get to the three kilometers to go marker, then he will have won the 100th Tour de France.  Riders always trick out their bikes to reflect their leaders jersey, Froome is riding a bright yellow bike, but this is the first time I have seen a team car get a new paint job, changing all of the bright blue accents to yellow.  Froome and his Director Sportif clinked glasses in a toast to the team's success and the second British Tour de France victory in as many years.  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%202013/2184477---186227/Painting.html#.UfJ638_D_IU

Tour Final Stage: Champagne in Hand

The final day's ride towards Paris is filled with traditions, so during the promenade phase of the stage, the Malliot Jaune will take a celebratory glass of champagne usually shared around with the team both those on and off the bikes.  Like every thing else that happens on the roads of the Tour, this, too, is done under the gaze of the hundreds of thousands of fans that will line every kilometer of every stage of the Tour.  Chapeau to Team Sky and Chris Froome!  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website where you can buy this painting.  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%202013/2184475---186227/Painting.html#.UfJ5yMvD_IU