The Art of Cycling

Friday, January 24, 2025

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: A Sprinter's Line

It is a treat to watch a seasoned sprinter get it right. Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) looked to be too far back as both Ineos-Grenadiers and Groupama-FDJ led the peloton to have a chance at victory. As the lead outs started with 500 meters to go, the French sprinter pop out of the slipstream and charged to the line. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) chased hard to take second despite Jhonatan Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates) complaining he had his sprint interfered with. He hadn't, he had just sprinted too close to the barriers. Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted to a respectable fourth in Victor Harbor.

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 Sprinter's Line TDU25-36" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: Covering the Moves

Javier Romo (Movistar) wasn't leaving anything to chance. He had a list of guys he wasn't going to let escape. He was covering most everything, but when Patrick Konrad (Lidl-Trek) went he made sure he was on the Austrian's wheel. Konrad started the day sitting in third overall, just ten seconds off of Romo's lead. They did finish the day in the same positions on the general classification. And they still had just ten seconds between them.

"Covering the Moves TDU25-35" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: Showing His Colors

It was nice to see Natnael Tesfazion (Movistar) pop out of the peloton as he went after the two guys up the road. I'm not sure how his move helped his team leader, Javier Romo, in the Ochre Jersey. It could have been just as simple as he wanted to make sure that the TV audience saw his Eritrean Champion's jersey. It has been fun watching so many Eritrean cyclists making an impact on the pro peloton over the last couple of years. Less than a kilometer later, he was back into the folds of the peloton, so it may well have been just a move to show off his national colors.

"Showing His Colors TDU25-34" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: Working as One

After the sprint, the four escapees got back to working together as they pushed out their advantage over the peloton. The group has just gone over the first categorized climb of the day, Parawa Hill, where they rolled through uncontested with Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) on the front. The Swiss Champion was followed in turn by Giosue Epis (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Ide Schelling (XDS-Astana), and Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermache-Wanty). With seventy kilometers left to go, their advantage of a bit over a minute didn't look super promising. But then, sitting in the peloton, they would have considerably less chance than being out here on the front.

"Working as One TDU25-33" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 4: A Swift Swiss

It was the Swiss Champion Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) who jumped out of the breakaway to claim the first intermediate sprint in Snapper Point. William Junior Lecerf (Soudal-Quick Step) gave the champion a run for his money, but in the end wasn't able to come around Schmid. After the sprint, the break rejoined and got on with their likely vain effort to win the stage.

"A Swift Swiss TDU25-32" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: Not Only the Stage

With the title, you know that Javier Romo (Movistar) didn't just win the stage, but he also is the new Ochre Jersey in the Tour Down Under. He had started the day sitting in 99th place but had the belief to attack in the closing kilometers. Of course, he also had the legs to back up his faith in himself. He held off the peloton, winning the stage by five seconds. You can just see the rest of the reduced peloton just coming into view. Along with those seconds, he also got a ten second time bonus for winning the stage. He now has an eight second lead, but that is not much considering that the guy siding in 20th is just thirty seconds off the pace.

"Not Only the Stage TDU25-31" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: Did I Lose Them?

Javier Romo (Movistar) got a great jump on the peloton in the closing kilometers. Others tried to chase him down but just couldn't get themselves organized. Perhaps they didn't want to go too deep into their reserves assuming that Romo would be back in the fold soon and then they would have the energy to launch their own winning move. I feel the Romo must have been surprised to look back on this small rise to see open road when he glanced back with just four kilometers to race. After this rise, it is all downhill to the line in Uraidla, so he definitely has a chance for the stage victory.

"Did I Lose Them? TDU25-30" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: Surfing the Tail of the Peloton

I believe that Phil Liggett was getting genuinely upset with Luke Plapp (Jayco-Alula). Every time he appeared on camera on the back of the peloton Phil would talk about how unwise and potential unsafe it was. And he mused about how much extra energy it took for him to move up to the front when things got aggressive at the other pointy end of the peloton. It wasn't long after I painted this that the road went uphill, and Plapp moved right to the front of the peloton. I don't think the same could be said for Jesus Herrada (Cofidis). The veteran is a great climber, but I think he doesn't enjoy going downhill in a big group.

"Surfing the Tail of the Peloton TDU25-29" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: Getting More

After the first climb, Fergus Browning (ARA Australian Cycling) erstwhile companion dropped back to the peloton leaving the Polka Dot Jersey off on his own. As he started up the Knott Hill climb he was joined by Geoffrey Bouchard (Decathlon-Ag2r-La Mondiale). Happily, for Browning, he went over the climb first unchallenged by the Frenchman. It is still mathematically possible for someone to take the jersey off of the young Australian, but it is beginning to seem highly unlikely.

"Getting More TDU25-28" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Tour Down Under '25, Stage 3: All But One

Stage 3 started climbing right after the flag drop to start the race. After a few attempts at a breakaway, Conor Swift (Ineos-Grenadiers) finally dropped everyone on his way up the Ashton climb. To his surprise, he was chased down by Fergus Browning (ARA Australian Cycling) in his Etex King of the Mountains jersey. He went over this climb first with little resistance from Swift. By going over this climb first, it means that he has been first over every climb but one thus far in the 25th Tour Down Under. It sure looks like no one will be able to take the polka dot jersey off this young Australian.

"All But One TDU25-27" (Original art by Greig Leach)