The Art of Cycling

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Paris Olympics 2024: The Passing of the Torch

It was a touching moment when two previous French Olympic medalists, Teddy Riner and Marie-Jose Perec took the flame from the oldest surviving French Olympian Charles Coste before lighting the cauldron. The cauldron is in fact a hot air balloon lit by the Olympic flame flying above the Touilleres in the center of Paris. That is the site of the first balloon flight roughly two hundred and fifty years ago. It should be noted since this is a cycling blog, Coste is a French cyclist.

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.

"The Passing of the Torch PO24-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024: The Flags of the Olympics

The rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of the athletes of the quality of the pagentry of the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics. They used all of the Seine and sights of the city of lights and ended under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.

"The Flags of the Olympics PO24-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Tour '24, Final Stage: The Stage & the Tour!

It is normally and unusual sight to see a rider celebrating a victory as they cross the line in a time trial, but such was the ride of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) that he had more than enough time to enjoy the moment and win yet another stage. He wins the stage by just over a minute and the Tour by nearly six minutes. In the process he has won six stages, five of those in yellow. Notably, he won the last three stages this year. I think I heard that matches a record set some forty-five years ago. But then I suspect that Pogacar will be setting new records for many years to come.

Mark Cavendish knew this. When he was congratulated by Pogacar when he won his 35th stage, Mark told him, "Don't you break it!" He then playfully tapped his face and held it a moment. If Cavendish was a movie character in a mobster movie, that would be the pivotable threat of the plot. Pogacar's tally is now 16 stages and he is still only 25.

"The Stage & the Tour! TdF24-142" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: The Final Corners

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) made the final turns on the Promenade des Anglais in his effort to win the final stage of the Tour de France. Evenepoel had won the first time trial of this Tour and is the reigning world champion in this discipline. He is also the best young rider in the Tour, thus is lack of the Rainbow Jersey of World Champion. He did post the best time when he finished in Nice. But that result only lasted until the next man came in, and that until the last man finished. Evenepoel finished the day in third, and finished the Tour in third as well. Not a shotty debute in the Tour de France, not bad at all.

"The Final Corners TdF24-141" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: Both Gaming & Losing Time

Given that I titled my painting of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) "Gaining Time" in the first individual time trial, I thought I should be a bit more accurate this time. Vingegaard was one an incredibly strong ride on the way into Nice. He was setting new best times at every check point enroute. A particularly positive sign since Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) was the rider ahead of him on the road. Not so positive was that the next guy on the road, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) was also setting new best times that were better than Vingegaard's. Therefore, Vingegaard was gaining time on Evenepoel who was in third, and losing time on Pogacar who will remain in first.

The results mean that Vingegaard is both second on the stage and in the Tour. And, Evenepoel is both third on the stage and in the Tour as well. Although he hasn't finished yet, Pogacar will be both first on the stage (his sixth of this Tour) and in his third Tour de France.

"Both Gaining & Losing Time TdF24-140" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: A Beautiful Ride

I'm a big fan of titles that have more than one meaning. This is just such a title. The roads up above Nice just strike me as a beautiful place to ride a bike. I imagine they are usually choked with holiday traffic most of the year, but then I've never been all that bothered by traffic. (to my own down fall on ten different occasions) And of course, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) has had a beautiful ride around France and parts of Italy. And finally, he is on one beautiful individual time trial, setting new best times all along the route into Nice.

"A Beautiful Ride TdF24-139" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: Best thus Far

As Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) crested the summit of the Col d' Eze, he posted the best time at the time check. He was on a great ride, hoping to erase the twenty-four second deficit that he has to the other Northern American Matteo Jorgenson who sits now in eighth place overall. His position in the top ten is very secure, but everyone wants to move up and dreads moving down.

He posted the best time when he finished, but he didn't even make it to the hot seat before Jorgenson posted an even faster time less than two minutes later. So, he will remain nineth on the final classification.

"Best thus Far TdF24-138" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: Bad Luck on the Final Day

As he turned onto the first climb up out of Monaco, Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) slid out in the corner. He had attempted to stomp on the pedals as he came out of the turn to keep his speed up on the ensuing climb. Fortunately, he nor his bike were hurt. He was back up and underway in less than twelve seconds. It could well have been the end of his stage. That or, it could give him the adrenaline rush to push him that much faster over the remaining twenty-five kilometers to Nice.

Side note, he was a few seconds behind at the first time check, but then started setting the best times through the next two time checks and the most important time at the finale. His ride cemented his hold on eighth in the general classification.

"Bad Luck on the Final Day TdF24-137" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: One More Time

Romain Bardet (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) rolled down the start ramp and got up to speed in his final stage of the Tour de France. He has hopes of posting a good time as he got underway in Monaco. I do think as he realized that he wasn't going to have much chance of winning the stage, he began to really enjoy his final race on the roads of France (well technically, he is in the Principality of Monaco right now). Thank you for the great years of entertainment, and congratulations on a day in Maillot Jaune.

"One More Time TdF24-136" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Final Stage: Finishing in Green

It wasn't like anyone expected Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty) to light up the final stage of this Tour. But he has lit up all of the cycling communnity! Girmay is the first Eritrea to win a stage in the Tour, and obviously the first Black African to do so. He went on to win two more stages and in so doing won the Maillot Vert, again a first for Africa and the Tour. He was very active in the intermediate sprints to make sure that his jersey was his today in Nice.

"Finishing in Green TdF24-135" (Original art by Greig Leach)