For many people, the Tour de France is three weeks of incredible racing. For me, it has become something much more personal.
Every July, I set myself the challenge of creating a painting inspired by every single stage of the Tour de France. It has become an annual ritual that combines two of my greatest passions – art and cycling.
Each morning I study the route, looking at the terrain, the towns, the mountains, the weather and the stories that might unfold. Then, after the stage has finished, I watch the highlights again, searching for that one moment that captures the spirit of the day. It may be an explosive attack on a mountain pass, a lone rider battling into the wind, the chaos of a sprint finish, or simply the colours of the French landscape as the peloton sweeps through.
Rather than creating a literal record of the race, I try to paint the emotion of the stage. Movement has always been at the heart of my work. I want viewers to feel the speed, the energy and the atmosphere, rather than simply recognise the riders.
Working to such a demanding schedule is both exhilarating and exhausting. Every stage means another blank canvas waiting to be filled before the next day's racing begins. There is very little time to overthink; instinct takes over. The paintings become immediate responses, full of bold colour, expressive mark-making and the excitement that makes the Tour such a unique sporting event.
The Tour de France is constantly changing. Flat sprint stages give way to brutal mountain climbs. Quiet country roads suddenly become lined with thousands of passionate fans. Jerseys change hands, dreams are realised and sometimes disappear in a single corner. As an artist, this constant change provides endless inspiration.
Looking back over the years, these collections have become more than a series of paintings. They form a visual diary of the race itself. Together they tell the story of unforgettable victories, heartbreaking defeats and the extraordinary landscapes that have made the Tour de France one of the world's greatest sporting spectacles.
People often ask why I continue the project each year. The answer is simple: every Tour tells a new story. No two editions are ever the same, and every stage presents a fresh opportunity to create something unique.
When the final riders roll into Paris and the yellow jersey is crowned, I don't just see the end of another race. I see twenty-one paintings that capture three weeks of drama, determination and passion—moments that might otherwise have disappeared as quickly as the peloton itself.
I hope that when people look at these paintings, whether they are lifelong cycling fans or simply lovers of expressive art, they can feel the excitement of the Tour and experience the race in a completely different way.
Because for me, every stage deserves its own story, and every story deserves its own painting.