The Art of Cycling

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Men's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Photo Finish

Once we all looked at the photo finish, it was clear that Soren Werenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) has won the mass sprint, but in real time, no one was sure who had won. It was interesting to watch Warenskjold listening to his race radio trying to discover whether he had gotten the better of Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step) or not. Hidden by Magnier is the powerful sprinter, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) whom many would have tapped to win a mass sprint today. The extra icing on the cake for Warenskjold is that he was a very late call up to race Omloop Nieuwsblad for his team. Way to step up to the plate (or bike cleat in this case)!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Photo Finish OHN25-9" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Almost Up to the Kapel

With just sixteen kilometers to go, everyone was trying to make their move on the Kapelmuur. While two or three had just crested the summit in front of the famed church, it was Sam Watson (Ineos-Grenadiers), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), and the American Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) who were the next to drop the majority of the peloton. With so many still in touch, it was looking like it might be a mass sprint to finish this Omloop Nieuwsblad, a rarity for this race. Surprisingly, I searched for the name of this church and could not find it.

"Almost Up to the Kapel OHM25-8" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Men's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: The Long Thin Line

You can read a lot about what is happening in the race just by the shape of the peloton. In this case, the long thin line, complete with small gaps, shows that this group is giving everything it has to chase down the leaders. On the previous climb, many of the favorites had escaped, but not all. So those that didn't were doing everything they could to set matters to rights. They were lucky that the winds had kept down on the flats of Flanders as they raced through the fields left fallow in the late winter months.

"The Long Thin Line OHN25-7" (Original art by Greig Leach) Prints are available, too.

Men's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Escaping the Peloton

Despite a breakaway still being two and a half minutes up the road, it was Visma-Lease a Bike that was animating the race all day. This time it was their man, Matthew Brennan, who jumped away from the peloton on the cobbled climb of the Eikenberg. He brought Vito Braet (Intermache-Wanty) - who looks back to see what the gap is - and Tim van Dijke (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). With another fifty-four kilometers to race, I am sure that van Dijke and Brennan were making the race hard in hopes of aiding their team leaders.

"Escaping the Peloton OHN25-6" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Men's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Problems

Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) really wasn't having the best days. Having already had a flat tire and a bike change, he was still struggling to get his bike right with 65 kilometers to go. Behind him, the race juror is stopped with his fist in the air to warn those behind that a rider is stopped on the side of the road. As De Lie got his chain back on the chainring, his team car pulled up on the right side of the road. He was back onto his original bike and chasing, again. But as the race got to the business end of the day, his efforts had sapped his legs. He found himself unable to go with the pace on the final climbs of the day. A sad turn of events for the Belgium Champion on the opening day of racing in Belgium.

"Problems OHN25-5" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Winning with Class

Cue the full-on groan of a dad joke. I simple couldn't resist the pun of this title since it was Lotte Claes (Arkea-B&B Hotels) who took the victory ahead of her last remaining breakaway compainion Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal). The two had led the race from almost the first pedal strokes, and finished ahead of the lead two from the peloton by three and a half minutes. It was truly a classy win, and her first win in the Women's World Tour to boot. Chapeau!

"Winning with Class OHN25-4" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Attacking the Kapelmuur

As the peloton hit the fabled Kapelmuur, it was Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) in her new team's kit that attacked. The only one able to go with the former Dutch Champion was her countrywoman, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck). With just eleven kilometers and one more climb to race, it is unlikely that this effort will make up the five minutes the two leaders have.

"Attacking the Kapelmuur OHN25-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: Done with No Man's Land

Try as she might, Julie Stockman (DD Group Pro Cycling) wasn't able to bridge up to the four leaders on the road. At long last, she surrendered the effort and looked back to see the peloton about to sweep her up on the cement slab roads of Flanders. I suppose I should say that she had been stuck in No Woman's Land, but the phrase does come from the trench warfare of WW1 that was fought on these very fields over a hundred years ago.

"Done with No Man's Land OHN25-2" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Women's Omloop Nieuwsblad '25: A Very Big Advantage

By the time the live coverage of the women's Omloop Nieuwsblad came on air there were only another thirty-six kilometers left to race. This four-woman breakaway had built up quite the lead on the chasing peloton. In fact, I would argue a ten-and-a-half-minute lead with so little road left to cover meant that one of these four women will be the next to win the Omloop today. Lotte Claes (Arkea-B&B Hotels) had the most experience of the group as they climbed the Leberg. On her wheel was Aurela Nerlo (Winspace Orange Seal), followed in turn by Elena Pirrone (Rolands) and Mieke Docx (Lotto). None of them have a Women's World Tour victory in their palmares yet, so someone should be having a very momentous day today.

"A Very Big Advantage OHN25-1" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Monday, February 24, 2025

Volta ao Algarve '25, Final Stage: He'll Know in Two Kilometers

Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) was on a great ride. Not unexpected since he is a former Portuguese Champion in this time trial discipline riding on his home roads. However, he finished the stage in sixth place just a bit over thirty seconds behind the stage winner, Jonas Vingegaard. His ride was enough to keep him in second place on the general classification just fifteen seconds behind the final yellow jersey.

"He'll Know in Two Kilometers VA24-17" (Original art by Greig Leach)