Tour, Stage 19: "I'm Not Happy to See You"

Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) had taken most of the descent off of the Montee de Bisanne, gone across the valley and started up Mont Blanc all on his own.  He must have been feeling like the stage would be his.  At least until Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) showed up on his wheel.  Costa looked back over his shoulder seemingly saying, "I am not happy to see you."  Bardet had started the day sitting fifth overall, but he wanted more.  Plus, the French had yet to take a stage in their home Tour and there aren't to many more days to make that happen.  Bardet got a little help due to the carnage of crashes from the wet high speed descents.  Just like Bardet, most of the men in the Tour were looking to improve their overall positions, and were willing to take risks to make it happen.  Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) had gone off the road into the woods on the Col de Domancy, then taking even more risks to get back on, he crashed again.  The twin crashes meant that his second place was now up for grabs and Bardet was hoping to make it his.

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%202016/2827777-141-224974/Painting#.V5LEKrgrLIU

Tour, Stage 19, Going on Alone

Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) had been with Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac) but when the Frenchman crashed on a wet corner, the former World Champion had to simply press on with his attack.  Costa won the World Championships in a driving rain storm, so this is certainly not his first time racing in the rain.  As Costa descended the Col de Domancy (the climb that had greeted those competing in the Individual Time Trial the day before), he must have been aware of the crashes that were happening all over the road behind.  Costa look sure to make it to the base of the final climb alone.  The question is, will he still be alone at the top?  Trust the Italian team, Lampre-Merida, to have the most colorful kit in the peloton.  It certainly is my favorite.

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%202016/2827774-140-224974/PaintingGoing%20on%20Alone%20TdF141-Greig-Leach.html#.V5LAALgrLIU

Tour, Stage 19: Trying to Help

With the rain starting to fall on the Tour again, the roads were going to be very slick.  The arrival of the rain couldn't have been more poorly timed.  Just as the leaders started down the back side of the Montee de Bisanne the rains turned the newly surfaced sections of road way into what felt like an ice rink.  Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) went first and then was joined by Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac).  Rolland had a hard crash early in the Tour.  He was just coming back into form in the last two days.  So it was particularly sad to see him lose both wheels on a sharp corner on the descent.  After hitting the road hard, he slid about twenty feet across the asphalt and then into the gravel and dirt on the side of the road.  A photographer jumped out of the way and then checked on the leader of Cannondale-Drapac, before backing away to get the shot.  Fans quickly came to their countryman's aide.  Rolland got up, got back on his bike and road on towards the final climb of the day.  I should note that he finished the stage and as of this evening, he is still in the Tour.   If a racer does not finish a stage, they can not start the next day.  Their Tour is over.  So these hard men on two wheels are very reluctant to not get up and going again.

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%202016/2827770-139-224974/PaintingTrying%20to%20Help%20TdF140-Greig-Leach.html#.V5K7vLgrLIU

Tour, Stage 19: This Jersey Is His!

Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) went alone to the top of the big climb of the day.  As he grabbed the maximum points over the HC climb of the Montee de Bisanne, he cemented his hold on the Maillot a Pois.  There are now not enough points left in the Tour to take his King of the Mountains title away from him.  So today, two guys who ride for Team Tinkoff earned a leader's jersey in the Tour.  Peter Sagan can no longer be caught in the race for the Maillot Vert and Majka can't be caught either.  All both have to do is stay upright, beat the time cut for two more days and they will be on the podium in Paris.  Chapeau to you both.  Now with the rain starting to fall, staying up right may well be a challenge for them and the rest of the peloton.

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%202016/2827767-138-224974/PaintingThis%20Jersey%20Is%20His!%20TdF139-Greig-Leach.html#.V5K3jbgrLIU

Tour, Stage 19: Setting the Pace

Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) had a strong teammate willing to ride on the front up the monster of a climb, the Montee de Bisanne, the Croatian Robert Kiserlovski.  Riding on the wheel of the Maillot a Pois is the man who beat him near the summit of Mont Ventoux, Jarlinson Pantano.  Of course, Majka didn't when that day, but he did claimed most of the King of the Mountain points on the day, enough to give him a near unassailable lead in the competition.  Still hanging tough is the Frenchman, Alexis Vuillermoz (Ag2r La Mondiale).

All along the roads of the Tour de France are not only thousands and thousands of cycling fans, but hundreds of camper vans, tents and make shift sleeping accommodations, as well.

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%202016/2827766-137-224974/PaintingSetting%20the%20Pace%20TdF138-Greig-Leach.html#.V5K0fbgrLIU

Tour, Stage 19: I've Got This

Astana definitely went out of the neutral section of the 19th stage with a plan in mind.  First they made sure that they got one of their men into the break away.  Next on the climb up the Col de la Forclaz Queige, they put the rest of the team on the front of the already reduced peloton.  The entire team was riding in hopes of moving their leader, Fabio Aru up the leader board.  Andriy Grivko was laying down a hard pace trying to put the hurt on those behind them, but ahead of Aru on the General Classification.  His pace was so intense that Diego Rosa came up along side and gave him the "slow it down" gesture.  Grivko reached over, but his hand on the Italian's back and seemed to say, "I got this.  I'll do my job you do yours."  As Grivko pushed on, Rosa gave him the Italian equivalent of  the finger.  But the team stayed on the Ukrainian's wheel.  With just today and tomorrow to race prior to arriving in Paris, it was now or never to shoot for the podium.

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%202016/2827753-136-224974/PaintingI've%20Got%20This%20TdF137-Greig-Leach.html#.V5KsCrgrLIU

Tour, Stage 19: Coming Back Together

This threesome of Rafal Majka (Tinkoff), Alexis Vuillermoz (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) had pushed away from the rest of the break away while in search of the King of the Mountain points at the summit of the Col de la Forclaz Montmin.  They pressed their advantage on the descent into this beautiful valley.  Realizing that the long stretch of the valley floor could be covered quicker with the rest of the group, the three waited for those behind to catch back up.  Thomas De Gendt was the one who launched the attack hoping to catch Majka in the KOM competition, but unfortunately for the Belgium the Polish National Champion got into the group as well.  De Gendt claimed first over the first categorized, but Majka basically nullified it by taking second.  With three more climbs to go, Majka was going to have to keep a close eye on the rider from Lotto Soudal.

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%202016/2827739-135-224974/PaintingComing%20Back%20Together%20TdF136-Greig-Leach.html#.V5KhI7grLIU

Tour, Stage 19: My Guys Are Coming

Amael Moinard (BMC) and Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) got into a bit of a heated discussion on the rear of the big break away.  Moinard was annoyed the Lutsenko wasn't contributing to the work load to the keep the break off the front of the following peloton.  Lutsenko knew that the rest of his team was on the front driving the chase behind.  He felt that with his teammates chasing it excused him from pushing the pace in front.

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%202016/2827693-134-224974/PaintingMy%20Guys%20Are%20Coming%20TdF135-Greig-Leach.html#.V5KCWrgrLIU

Tour, Stage 18: Adding More Time

Bedecked in yellow, Chris Froome (Sky) comes to the line in Megeve having averaged over twenty miles an hour on a mountain time trial.  The conventional wisdom was that he would sit in a little bit and save himself for the last two mountain road race stages, but then you don't when the Tour by doing what is expected.  Lord knows that Froome has been gaining time in non-traditional ways for his style and that of Team Sky.  One of those ways included running up Mont Ventoux without his bike (a clear violation of the rules), others included attacking on a flat "sprinter's" stage and on the descent of a mountain stage.  So it was that Froome burned up the seventeen kilometer course putting in the best time by the third time check and claiming first at the line by twenty one seconds.  Froome has now all but ensure that he will be wearing Yellow when he rolls onto the Champs Elysees, assuming nothing goes wrong between now and Sunday.  As we have learned with Froome over the past seventeen stages, assume nothing!

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.

To buy this painting, follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2826791-133-224974/PaintingAdding%20More%20Time%20TdF134-Greig-Leach.html#.V5FLqbgrLIU

Tour, Stage 18: Gaining Time on Those Behind

First, let me explain what this title means.  In a time trial the best riders go last, and the lower rank riders go first.  In a stage race the riders position on the general classification is used to determine the start order.  The rider in first place goes last, second goes second to last and on and on it goes.  Richie Porte (BMC) is hoping to gain time on those riders ahead of him on the GC.  That translate to him trying to gain time on those behind him on the road.  Do you get it?  Porte went out hard in the beginning of the course, logging the fastest time at the first time check by eighteen seconds.  Alas, he began to fad towards the end of the course, taking third as he crossed the line just hundredths of a second behind Fabio Aru (Astana).  Once the Maillot Jaune finished the day, he dropped to fourth on the day.  While the former Australian Time Trial Champion didn't change position on the GC, he is now just over a minute out of second place, and even less to the podium.  Not a bad days work a half hour of which was against the clock.

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.

To buy this painting, follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2826682-132-224974/PaintingGaining%20on%20Those%20Behind%20Tdf133-Greig-Leach.html#.V5FEq7grLIU