Tour Stage 18: A Long Thin Line

Stage 18 of the Tour de France started innocently enough with just two small climbs in the first half of the stage.  The Astana led peloton let a rather large break away get off of the front, none within a half hour of Vincenzo Nibali's Maillot Jaune.  It would normally be safe to assume that Astana would sit back and let the race unfold, but there has been nothing normal about Nibali's desire to remove any doubt that he is the rightful wearer of the Jersey, regardless of who is in and who is out of the 101st Tour de France.  He had told the press that he wanted to win another stage in Yellow, to show honor to the Jersey and the Tour.  He doesn't expect to do well in the only Time Trial on Stage 20, and won't be anywhere near the first guy across the line on tomorrow's flat stage or on the cobbles of the Champs Elysees in the shadow of the L'Arc de Triomphe.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that has been created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com  The painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included, along with all of my 2014 Tour de France paintings in my soon to be self published book, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become involved in bringing the art of the Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some exciting incentives for those who choose to back the project starting for as little as $5 USD and at $25 USD, you will get an artist signed copy of the "Book de Tour".  Everyone who pledges their support will have their name in print included in the Special Thanks page of the book regardless of the amount pledged.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But you know you want a copy of the book to go with the artwork, don't you?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2407864-135-132-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U9HKQ8_D_IU