Greig Leach

As Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fennix) sat on the ground desparately trying to catch his breath aftet such a massive effort on the Mur de Bretagne, it was the now former Maillot Jaune, Julian Alaphilippe who was the first rider to congratulate the new leader of the 2021 Tour de France. You could tell the Dutchman truly appreciated the sporty gesture even if he wasn't back in his body after the effort it took to claim Alaphilippe's jersey. This may have made me become an even bigger fan of the Frenchman. Yes, I have favorites... but I try to tell the story of the racing despite my personal feelings. That being said, I will never, or almost never, paint the crashes of the Tour.