The Art of Cycling: March 2021

Monday, March 29, 2021

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: Celebrate/Congratulate

Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) patted his chest and his team sponsor's name as he took the sprint in Wevelgem. Crossing just behind him was Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka-ASSOS) reached out to congratulate the victorious Belgium. Speaking of victorious, it was Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious) who watched the festivities as he finished fourth on the day. While not in this painting (or camera angle) it was Michael Matthews (Bike Exchange) who claimed the final step of the podium in Gent-Wevelgem.

This is the final painting of this race. I will be back next week with Ronde Van Vlaanderen and the following week with Paris-Roubaix (assuming the resurging Covid-19 pandemic doesn't canceled Paris-Roubaix for the second year running).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow th edirect link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3803000-25-290150/Painting/celebratecongratulate-gw21-7.html

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: Probably Too Late

With just under 10 kilometers left to race, Anthony Turgis (Total Direct Energie) probably left his attack too late. He opened up a gap on the second group on the road but he still had another 46 seconds make up on the lead group and not much road to do it. Behind him Sam Bennett (Deceunick-Quick Step) was going backwards once he had blown all of his energy reserves (and his lunch) from the effort to stay with the lead group up the Baneberg and the over two hundred kilometers of racing already covered. Turgis never caught the group, but his efforts did give him a top ten finish.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3802983-24-290150/Painting/probably-too-late-gw21-6.html

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: I've Got a Question

With just 16 kilometers left in the race, Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-Quick Step) thought it would be best if he asked the race commissare for permission to drop back to his team car. Usually, inside of the last 20 kilometers of a race riders are not allowed to go to their team cars nor take on any drinks, food, etc. After a bit of a conversation, he was allowed to go back and talk to his sports director. His teammate, Sam Bennett, had managed to hold onto the lead group over the final climb, but had gotten physically sick with the effort. He was still with Stybar in the lead group, but I think he wasn't going to be able to stay there much longer. Even he did hold the lead group, I can't imagine he was going to have much of a sprint.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3802980-23-290150/Painting/i-have-a-question-gw21-5.html

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: Shedding Some Sprinters

With 42 kilometers left to race, Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) felt it was time to try and get rid of some of the pure sprinters in the front group. As they hit the steepest section of the Baneberg he drove the pace as hard as he could. This was the last climb and he was sure he wouldn't be able to beat either Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka-ASSOS) and Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious) in a straight up sprint. Just peeking around the corner of the banners is Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick Step), even he managed to stay on the wheel of the Swiss National Champion. So just like Demare tried to use a climb to no avail, so too his teammate wasn't able to use a climb to his advantage.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3802962-22-290150/Painting/shedding-some-sprinters-gw21-4.html

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: Attacking the Monteberg

The French champion, Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) is more of a sprinter than a climber. However, he used the short steep climb of the Monteberg to launch an attack from the second group on the road. His move was covered from a rider from Qhubeka-ASSOS. I am sorry to say I was never able to discover who he was. Alas for Demare, the duo was pulled back into the group on the down side of the climb. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3802961-21-290150/Painting/attacking-the-monteberg-gw21-3.html

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: Keeping Upright

Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Soudal) struggled to keep himself from crashing as he rounded a corner in the Plugstreet. He was one of at least a half dozen guys to have fallen (sorry I didn't intend that pun) prey to punctures on the gravel sections and rough roads of this stretch of the race. Vermeersch was able to stay upright and to get a quick wheel change. However, I don't recall seeing him for the rest of the race.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3802939-20-290150/Painting/keeping-upright-gw21-2.html

Gent-Wevelgem 2021: The Third Group

Before the race came to air, the air came to the race. Or should I say the crosswinds came and split the peloton apart. And early break of some big names was up the road, followed by another small group trying to join up with those in front. The third group was being driven on by some of the names that had missed the moves. With only a minute between the three groups, Greg Van Avermaet (Ag2r-Citroen) was pushing the teams of Lotto Soudal, Alpecin-Fenix, and Movistar to work on the chase.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3802938-19-290150/Painting/the-third-group-gw21-1.html

Monday, March 22, 2021

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - Surprising Them All

The title of this painting says it all. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) surprised the peloton for a solo run to the finish on the Via Roma in Sanremo. He left it all out on the road. His lobsided victory salute shows just how completely spent he was from the effort. After crossing the line, he collapsed into his soigneurs' arms, eventually laying on the ground still clipped into his bike. Behind it was Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) winning the sprint of the peloton for second place followed by Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma), a resurging Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) rounding out the top five. Peter Sagan was diagnosed with Covid-19 at the start of 2021 and has clearly now re-found his racing legs. I, and I will assume you, am very relieved he has recovered so well.

This is the last for Milano Sanremo. I will be painting Ronde Van Vlaanderen (hopefully both the men and the women) followed by Paris Roubaix (also hoping to be able to paint both the men and the women). The current plan is then to paint the Dauphine and the Tour de France.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801746-18-290150/Painting/surprising-them-all-ms21-7.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - He Has the Gap

If a rider wants to avoid a sprint and still win Milano-Sanremo he has four choices. Go away on the Cipressa, yet no one could today. Go away on the climb of Poggio, again no one was able to drop enough of the peloton to avoid a sprint. Ride off the front on the tricky descent of the Poggio, and despite Pidcock's best efforts, no one was able to pull away from the equally skilled group behind him. So the final method is to catch everyone napping at the base of the descent and attack off the front. That is exactly what Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) was able to do with just two kilometers left to race. It is a tall order to make this kind of effort against the best in the world after racing for over 290 kilometers, but the Belgium seemed to have the legs to pull it off.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801739-17-290150/Painting/he-has-the-gap-ms21-6.html

Milano Sanremo 2021 - Time to Go!

The peloton hit the final climb of the Poggio all together so it was time to try and give it a go. As expected it was Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) who was the first to launch an attack. The World Champion was quickly covered by Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix). These were the three that started the day as the favorites to win the day, two having one the race in the recent past. However, it didn't look like they were getting enough of a gap to hold off the peloton on the technical descent in just a few minutes.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801737-16-290150/Painting/time-to-go-ms21-5.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - Making It Hard

As the peloton went up the penultimate climb of Milano-Sanremo (the Capo Cipressa) Sam Oomen (Jumbo Visma) hit the front setting a hard pace for his team leader, Wout Van Aert. Van Aert was using the strategy that if the pace was super fast on this climb no one would be able to launch the traditional race winning attack. He was right. Lined out behind the two from Jumbo Visma were Ineos-Grenadiers including Luke Rowe, Tom Pidcock (in his race debute), and Michal Kwiatkowski. It was looking like it was either going to be an attack on the final climb of the Poggio or it would be down to a sprint finale.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801733-15-290150/Painting/making-it-hard-ms21-4.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - How Are We Feeling?

As the break hit the first of the three Capi, the Capo Mele, the break away was down to four riders and their gap was down to just a minute and a half. It seems that Mathias Norsgaard (Movistar) is looking over at Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermache Wanty Gobert) asking how he is feeling. Most likely he was taking stock of the legs of his break away compatriots to see if they would be able to stay away from the charging peloton. Ironically, it was Norsgaard who dropped away on the may up the Capo Capressa in another ten kilometers time.

The costal road to Sanremo was punctuated with multiple construction zones, here safety cones are moving the riders to their left. This is just one of the many pinch points on the route for the much larger peloton. Side note, Intermache Wanty Gobert ride Cube bikes, as do I. This is the first time I have ever been on a bike that was also being ridden by a Pro Tour team.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801730-14-290150/Painting/how-are-we-feeling-ms21-3.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021, You Gotta' Eat

With 190 kilometers covered, a distance longer than most every Grand Tour stage, it was important for everyone to keep eating just to be able to make it to Sanremo. Let alone to be able to race to the finish. So it was that Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiaini-CSF-Falzane) dropped back to his team car to grab another bite to eat. He and his break away companions still had another 109 kilometers so he (and they) had to eat. The octet had almost five minutes on the peloton behind, yet it would not be enough time to ensure a win on the Via Roma.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801707-13-290150/Painting/you-gotta-eat-ms21-2.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021, Ready for a Long Effort

Milano-Sanremo is known as the longest race of the year, a complete race of 299 kilometers with another 7 kilometers of a neutral roll out. This year the broadcasters decided it would be a good idea to show the race from start to finish. I confess, I did skip some sections of the race. Hell, I even took a break and went out for a sixty kilometer ride myself. After all, it was a beautiful, mild, Sunday afternoon. Yes, yes, I know the race was held on Saturday, but I couldn't get enough time together to paint the race until Sunday. The early break got away at just six kilometers with seven guys, an eigth joined a little bit later on. Included in this painting are Nicola Conci (Trek-Segafredo), two riders from Novo Nordisk (the team composed of riders whom all have type II diabetes); Andrea Peron and Charles Planet, and Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermache-Wanty-Gobert). It is unlikely that they will all stay away for the remaining 289 kilometers but it could happen... it didn't.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801704-12-290150/Painting/ready-for-a-long-effort-sr21-1.html

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Strade Bianchi Donne - To Perfection

As the duo of Chantel Van Den Broeck-Blaak (SD Worx) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) the race commentators where saying there was no way Chantel would be able to out climb nor out sprint Elisa. "If she is going to have any chance, she is going to have to time her attack to perfection." Chantel had forced Elisa to ride the last 6 or 7 kilometers on the front thus hoping to have tired the Italian National Champion's legs out before the final climb. As the duo neared the crest of the climb, Chantel jumped from the back and had the legs to leave her erstwhile companion behind to take the win in what she claims will be her last time racing the Strade Bianchi Donne. Chapeau!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3798895-11-290150/Painting/to-perfection-sbd21-5.html

Strade Bianchi Donne - She Can See Them

Inside the final kilometer and on the final climb of the day Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope) was away from the others and in sight of the two leaders just up the road. She put everything into the move to bridge across, but she just didn't have the legs. She was caught by both the World Champion and the European Champion (neither of whom could bridge across either) and then dropped by the top of this brutal climb. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3798893-10-290150/Painting/she-can-see-them-sbd21-4.html

Strade Bianchi Donne - Leaving the Others

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) succeeded in bridging across to the front group that included Chantal Van Den Broeck-Blaak (SD Worx). She wasn't satisfied with just joining the front group, she went off the front. It was only Chantal who could hold the wheel of the Italian Champion. The two built up about 10 seconds on the rest of the front group as they raced through the streets of Siena. With just 5 kilometers left to race it was looking like the race would come down to a sprint between these two. However a short steep climb still faced all of the women before one would race her arms in victory.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3798878-9-290150/Painting/leaving-the-others-sbd21-3.html

Strade Bianchi Donne - Coming Across

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek Segafredo) saw the danger in the group ahead and decided it was up to her to get into the move. She used the penultimate section of gravel to try and push off the front of those chasing with her. She made it across, but she brought some marquee riders across with her. I have been intrique with the use of the race motorcycles with the double front wheels. I assume they are more stable at slow speeds, an imporant asset when riding up the steep climbs with the racers.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3798875-8-290150/Painting/coming-across-sbd21-2.html

Strade Bianchi Donne - An Escaping Quartet

Alas, the race coverage app I am using felt that they didn't need to provide coverage of the women's race until the final 20 kilometers of the race (I'll find out later how much coverage there is of the men's race). However, at least they did provide some coverage of women's cycling. On the upside just as they came to the race this powerful quartet of Ellen Van Dijk (Trek Segafredo), Chantal Van Den Broeck-Blaak (SD Worx), Sabrina Stuliens (Liv Racing), and Mavi Garcia (Ale BTC Racing). At this point they only had a few seconds so it wasn't a sure thing that this was going to be the move.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3798873-7-290150/Painting/an-escaping-quartet-sbd21-1.html