Tour Stage 7: Take Mine and Go!

Teammates are called upon to do whatever they can to help their team leader move up the general classification, from going back to the team car for waterbottles, (or taking back rain capes, arm warmers, etc.) riding with their noses in the wind and offering moral support.  But when it is absolutely necessary, a good teammate will pass his bike to the leader, which is what Peter Velits (BMC) did for his man, Tejay van Garderen.  A team will keep a rider near the leader who is roughly the same size in case the guy who's number ends in one damages his bike.  When a race gets spread out, or like in this case a wreck happens too close to the finish, it is quicker to pass a bike and let the domestique wait for the team car.  Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen maintain a near constant mantra about the importance of staying to the front of the peloton, thus being safe from crashes.  While the BMC boys were doing just that it didn't safe for members of the team from going down.  Peter Stetina was able to get back on his machine and pace Tejay, while Velits gave him a hardy push and waited for a bike change.  With just 15 kilometers to the line in Nancy, it would be a hard chase to get their leader back into the peloton.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  It will appear in my soon to be self published tome of the Tour, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, and to possibly get involved in bring the art of the 101st Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not browse around all of the art on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2400984---199992/Painting.html#.U8B9Ys_D_IU