Volta ao Algarve '25, Stage 4: A Bit Sticky

With a bit of a lull in the action during the final road stage of the Volta ao Algarve, Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) dropped back to grab some water bottles for his teammates.  It seemed that he and his director sportif hung onto the bottle a bit longer than was necessary.  I doubt that the commissares would care too much since it wasn't done to get him back into the race or pull him up a mountain.  I guess we could paraphrase the old saying to, "no help, no foul."

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.

"A Bit Sticky VA25-11" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algrave '25, Stage 3: Letting Him Have It

After his team had chased all day, the peloton seemed to let German Tivani (Aviludo-Louletano-Loule) take the maximum points over the last climb of the day, the Faz Fato.  Both EF Education-EasyPost and Ineos-Grenadiers were massed at the front just in case there was a move over the top.  It was just another twenty kilometers until the bonus sprint and neither team wanted to be caught napping on what should prove to be a sprint stage finale.

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.

"Letting Him Have It VA25-9" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algrave '25, Stage 2: Look at this Guy!"

With less than a kilometer to go to the summit finish at Alto de Foia, Jan Cristen (UAE Team Emirates) attacked his erstwhile breakaway companions.  It looked like he would have enough of a gap to claim the stage when his teammate/team leader, Joao Almeida bridged up to him within sight of the line.  Almeida looked back to make sure his GC rivals were far enough back to ensure he would gain time over them.  He then gestured his congratulations to his teammate who claimed the stage, and the first leader's jersey of the 51st Volta ao Algrave.  Now there is a way to pay back one of the guys who rides in support of you!

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.

"Look at this Guy! VA25-7" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algrave '25, Stage 2: Chatting Down the Back

With the early break away well up the road, the peloton wasn't flat out yet with another 49 kilometers to race.  The back of the peloton seemed rather relaxed.  Jasper De Buyst (Lotto) was at ease enough to have an extended conversation with his treammate, Jarrad Drizners.  Perhaps they were discussing the will end to the opening stage of the 51st Volta ao Algrave and the even more bizarre decision to nullify the entire stage.  The entire peloton was marked as 'did not finish' and no jersey points nor time bonuses were awarded.  I think that was the worst possible resolution to the mayhem of 80% of the peloton going off course with less than a kilometer 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 work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Chatting Down the Back VA25-4" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algarve 25, Stage 1: WTF?

Having unknowingly gone of course, Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was less than pleased to discover that he had not one the stage.  In the roughly 80% of the peloton who had missed read the turn inside of the final kilometer, it was Meeus who outsprinted all of the other misguided sprinters.  I was wondering why the lone policeman pointed one way as the front of the peloton went the other way.  It became clear as most of the peloton was racing behind the crowds and the barriers, as just a handful of the riders went down the true finishing straight.  Kudos for Meeus for keeping a civil tongue in his moutn (at least as far as I know), but he did seem to question the one race official he saw.  I am assuming it was along the lines of "What the f**k?"  I sure would have.

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.

"WTF? VA25-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Volta ao Algarve 25, Stage 1: Where Did They Go?

It was quite a wild finish to the opening stage of the Volta ao Algrave in Lagos.  The stage went to Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers) in a surprising finale.  Inside of the final kilometer the peloton split as they went around a round-about, however about 80% of the peloton went off the racecourse as they came out of the circle.  Ganna was surprised to look behind and see virtually no one chasing.  He went on to claim the stage in a solo victory and the first leader's jersey.  However, due to the mayhem, everyone was awarded the same time in the general classification, excluding the bonus seconds for the sprint.

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.

"Where Did They Go? VA24-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)