Greig Leach

Since I have been painting the Tour, and the decades I've been watching and reading abou the Grand Bouclee, I don't remember the Maillot Jaune changing hands on the penultimate stage of the Tour. Nor do I remember anyone holding the Maillot Jaune, the Maillot a Blanc and the Maillot a Pois as the race comes into Paris. I believe that only Eddy Merckx has won three jerseys in a single Tour, those were the Yellow, Polka Dot and Green. As far as I know he never won a best young rider's jersey. Yet, that is eactly what has happen in this moment of the painting, as Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) creasted the final climb, he was set to claim the stage, the Maillot Jaune, keep his Maillot Blanc, and his final climb also let him claim the Maillot a Pois!

Many of you may know that I have been finishing up painting the Tour from a hospital room. On the 16th of September I donate a kidney in a paired exchange, which provided a kidney transplant for my wife. While I was watch the time trial the nurses came and took my vitals and my heart rate was way high, 110bpm. They left the room concerned, as was I, until I realized I was just really excited about Pogacar's time trial.