Name of artist: Greig Leach
About the artist: Leach is a former amateur racer who is still an avid cyclist almost fifty years later. He is widely exhibited and collected throughout the US and his cycling art is collected worldwide.
Title of piece: Going Clear of the Peloton
About the piece: From Stage 5 of the 2023 Tour de France Femmes (Onet-le-Château to Albi): Every post-race interview Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) swears she is riding in aide of her team leader, Demi Vollering, yet she is still in the Maillot Jaune. With her lead in the Tour de France Femmes slipping away to those in the breakaway up the road, she finally has a dig to get away from the peloton and up to those who are threating her lead. She was quickly marked by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) and the duo of Annemiek Van Vleuten and Liane Lippert (Movistar). Collectively, these six (there is a UAE Team ADQ rider mixed in there too) are a number of those that are favored for the overall once the peloton reaches Pau on Sunday. But there is quite a bit of racing left in stage 5 and over the next four days yet to be fought.
Medium: Ink and Watercolors
Brief artist’s statement: All of my artwork is about color and the figure in motion, so cycling became a natural inclusion in what I choose to paint. I began painting cycling in 2012 when watching the Tour de France. I was feeling guilty watching TV in the middle of the day, and my actor wife Bridget Gethins suggested I paint the race and see if I could sell them by posting them on Facebook. That has grown into a cycling blog, Twitter, two books of my cycling art, and being featured during NBC’s coverage of the Tour de France since 2018.
Where can people find or buy your art?: All of my artwork can be seen, and purchased, at my website, www.greigleach.com. The Gallery labeled “2023 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes” has the work that was created this July. But you can search for your favorite team, rider, or race at the website home page.
Website or social media for your art: In this day and age, one needs to be on many social media platforms. My cycling blog is www.theartofcycling.blogspot.com, I am on twitter @artofcycling, instagram @greigartist, tiktok @artofcycling, and YouTube @artofcycling/Greig
