The Art of Cycling: 2022

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Upcoming Exhibition at Kyo Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia

2020 Artwork by Greig Leach Opening at Kyo Gallery, 111 S. Patrick Street, Alexandria, VA

October 20 from 5-8 pm

I'm thrilled to let you know that I will be exhibiting 10 paintings and 4 stained glass light boxes at Kyo Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. The show opens on the 20th of October with a reception from 5 until 8 pm. The exhibition will be combined with a group show focusing on the theme of 2020 and all that surrounded that year both personally and politically. The exhibition will run through late December. Please go to the gallery's website at www.kyogallery.com There are located at 111 S. Patrick Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Their phone number is 571-970-4388.

Bridget and I hope to see you there opening night!

Thank you for your support of my artwork over the years,
Greig

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: The Sprint Behind

I am sure they all thought they would be sprinting for the Rainbow Jersey, but that coveted price has already crossed the line two minutes earlier. So it was Christophe Laporte (France) taking the best of the rest sprint (and the silver medal), just nipping the Australian sprinter, Michael Matthews. They were followed by Wout Van Aert (Belgium) - 4th, Matteo Trentin (Italy) - 5th, and the ever present (and three time Road World Champion) Peter Sagan (Slovakia) in seventh place. I hadn't seen Sagan all day, but here he was when it mattered.

This will most likely be my last cycling painting for 2022. I thank you all for reading along. I hope you have enjoy the artwork. And a big thank you to everyone who has purchased one of my paintings or prints! It truly means alot. The more I can sell, the more I am able to create. So, again, thank you!

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available.

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc. And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907969-35-295031/Painting/the-sprint-behind-uci22-35.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Not a Soul in Sight

Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) came to the line alone to claim the Rainbow Jersey of the UCI Road World Championships. His gap was such that no one was visible chasing behind. He had nearly two and a half minutes on the large group of chasers behind. So that was plenty of time for us to watch the emotions of the moment place across his face, and hands, has he rounded the final bends of the Wollongong City circuit. At the end of the Worlds last year he was frustrated that he could have one the title then, but had to ride for his countryman, Wout Van Aert. This year, Van Aert was too far back to have a chance, so Evenepoel was going to let history repeat himself.

One of the first to congratulate the new champion was Julian Alaphilippe (France) who ceded his two time title to his trade team teammate. One of the last was his countryman, Van Aert.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907952-34-295031/Painting/not-a-soul-in-sight-uci22-34.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Time for His Close Up

Once Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) dropped his last companion, he was off on his own. With every pedal stroke he was gaining time on those behind. And he was getting closer and closer to being the UCI Road World Champion. He had enough of a gap on those behind that the TV Moto was able to slot in behind him and film his solo run to victory. With just thirteen kilometers left to race he was just under a minute ahead of the remnants of the break away and almost three minutes to the peloton that contained the favorites of the day. Barring any crashes or mechanicals, the Rainbow Jersey is his.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907951-33-295031/Painting/time-for-his-close-up-uci22-33.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: The Rainbow Is Gone

All during the women's road race the cameras kept catching rainbows appearing while the rains pelted the women's peloton. Today the sun shone all day, but then that is not the rainbow that has left this quartet. Instead it is the rainbow bands of the world champion that have ridden out of their grasp at the end of the 270 kilometers of racing. Pascal Eenkhoorn (Netherlands), Mauro Schmid (Switzerland), Mattias Skjelmose (Denmark) and Lorenzo Rota (Italy) had seen both Alexey Lutsenko and Remco Evenepoel ride away from them. They didn't have the legs to go with either rider. Lutsenko was still up the road, so the best these four could hope for was to race for the bronze medal. In the end, their race fell even further apart. They managed to catch Lutsenko, but then slowed down too much as they each watched the other not wanting to be the one to be on the front of the group in the final kilometers. They were caught by the chasers, and all hopes of even being on the podium evaporated in an instant.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907917-32-295031/Painting/the-rainbow-is-gone-uci22-32.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: All Alone

It does amuse me when a rider is off the front on his own in a sea of cycling fans is described as being 'all alone.' Clearly Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) is anything but alone as he rides away from Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan) at the summit of his penultimate climb of Mount Pleasant. While the cycling fans along the road have been growing in number by the hour, they were doing rather well at staying out of the way of the racers. It had not been the plan by Belgium to have Evenepoel go for the victory, but the winner of the Veulta d'Espania was in the right place with the right form with just 25 kilometers to race. It may have smarted a bit to ride over the name of Wout Van Aert (Belgium) painted on the road. Or it may have given him that extra motivation since Wout was the theoretical leader of the Belgium team. Regardless, he looked set to bring home the first Rainbow Jersey to Belgium since Philippe Gilbert won it ten years ago. Fitting since Gilbert retired at the end of this year's Tour de France.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907916-31-295031/Painting/all-alone-uci22-31.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Damn, They're Coming

Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan) looks back after his attack to find those he had left coming back up to him. With 37 kilometers to race, it was probably to far to go alone, but he could have been trying to make a small group that would work together. Under his left arm you might be able to make out the light blue jersey of Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) leading the charge back up the the yellow and blue glad Lutsenko. The two would join forces and go away together during the next lap of the Wollongong City circuit. But the penultimate climb of Mount Pleasant would be Lutsenko's undoing.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907914-30-295031/Painting/damn-theyre-coming-uci22-30.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Up & Over, Again

The twelve laps around the Wollongong circuit took everyone up and over Mount Pleasant repeatively zapping strength from the legs every time. The early break was still away with 93 kilometers to go. Each rider followed the other over the top and filed into a long single file line down the other side. While there are others in the group, this is Pieter Serry (Belgium) following, Pavel Sivakov (France), then Luke Plapp (Australia), Lukasz Owsian (Poland), Pier-Andre Cote (Canada) and just dropping out of sight of the fans is Guy Sagiv (Israel). They may be doomed in their efforts to stay off the front since the peloton has pulled them back to an under four minute advantage. Only time will tell if it is all worth the effort for the group.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907913-29-295031/Painting/up-over-again-uci22-29.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: 100 K and Still Away

All of these guys had been trying to get away from kilometer zero. But once the break away got established they built themselves an eight minute lead on the peloton. Some of those in the group included the other Sagan, Juraj Sagan (Slovakia), Scott McGill (USA), Michael Kukrle (Czech Republic), Guy Sagiv (Israel) and Jaka Primozic (Slovenia). There are a few more in the group but they are already going down the other side of this small rise. None in the group were seen as a threat by the favorites, so they were free to ride, for now. The race still had another 162 kilometers to race, so there is plenty of time for these guys to come back into the embrace of the peloton. I know that Juraj Sagan was one of those who climbed off his bike long before the end of the race. Others were still off the front in the final laps of the Wollongong City circuit.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907911-28-295031/Painting/100-k-and-still-away-uci22-28.html

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Hoping to Get Across

It was a bit of a surprise to me that there was a rider competing under the flag of the Vatican City. Even more so that Rien Schuurhuis (Vatican City) was in the group chasing the break away a minute ahead of the peloton with another 239 kilometers to race. He and his companions, Muradjan Halmuratov (Uzbekistan) and Ognjen Ilic (Serbia) were just about a minute and a half behind the lead group as they all started up the climb of Mount Keira. However, this was Schuurhuis' moment to shine, he soon dropped off the group and slid on back to the peloton on this long tough climb. Honestly, I don't know what happened to him after this moment. I did just check just check procyclingstats.com, and all three of these guys did not finish the race, but I have no idea when they climbed off their bikes.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907910-27-295031/Painting/hoping-to-get-across-uci22-27.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: Holding Them Off

Yes, Annemiek Van Vleutin (Netherlands) had the jump on all of the others (inluding some marquee sprinters) but she also had the legs to hold them off as they all sprint to the line in the final kilometer of the Elite Women's Road Race. I am sure at this moment she had no idea her elbow was broken. This was a race of grit, resiliance, and power. And it was a race that will have her wearing the Rainbow Jersey for the next twelve months, and the rainbow bands on her sleeves for the rest of her career. Behind her you can make out the light blue Belgium jersey of a very frustrated Lotte Kopecky who sprinted to the silver medal. The others trying to get up to the Dutch veteran included Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark) - 5th, Liane Lippert (Germany) - 4th, and Arlenis Sierra (Cuba) - 6th. It may have taken a long time for the race to switch from a race of attrition to one of attacking moves, but it got exciting in the final twenty kilometers. Chapeau, Annemiek! It is a win well deserved!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907693-26-295031/Painting/holding-them-off-uci22-26.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: Getting the Jump

Annemiek Van Vleutin (Netherlands) had been off the back, just out of contention for most of the final two laps of the Wollongong city circuit. She had started the day with a broken elbow that she suffered in the first 50 feet of the Mixed Team Relay. But as those in the front group began to look at each other whilst going under the red kite, she came from the back at full speed. As she flew past them at full speed they didn't jump on their pedals immediately. A huge mistake! Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (South Africa) looked first to see if any of those behind her were going to take up the chase. On her wheel was Liane Lippert (Germany), Arlenis Sierra (Cuba), Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark). They had all been racing flat out on the front and may have thought it was going to come down to a sprint betwixt themselves and just weren't ready for an attack from behind. Nevertheless, Van Vleutin was not one they should have let get even a pedal stroke. She may not be a great sprinter, but she is a strong time trialist, and will not be easy to pull back at any distance, but with less than a kilometer to race, it will be near impossible to catch her.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907683-25-295031/Painting/getting-the-jump-uci22-25.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: Three Chasing Two

While it was Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Poland) who started the attacks on the penultimate climb up Mount Pleasant, it was Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) and Liane Lippert (Germany) who got off the front at the summit. As the two went down the other side, Niewiadoma was aided in the chase by Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Denmark) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (South Africa). The three knew that the rainbow jersey may be up the road, so they were all three willing to work together to bring the others back. Plus there were so other very strong riders behind working just as hard to chase them down as well. With just 22 kilometers to race it was rather surprising to not see a Dutch rider in the mix. The Netherlands has dominated the Worlds over the last decade taking seven of the ten gold medals.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907626-24-295031/Painting/three-chasing-two-uci22-24.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: Forcing Them to Chase

As the women's race neared its conclusion, Team Australia began sending rider after rider up the road to see of they could break the peloton apart. With just 32 kilometers left to decide who would be the next Elite and U23 Women's World Champion, it was Sarah Roy's (Australia) turn to see what she could do to enliven the race. She built up eight seconds on those behind, but as the short steep climbs loomed, she wasn't able to stay away from the pure climbers behind. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907616-23-295031/Painting/forcing-them-to-chase-uci22-23.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: The Next to Try

Spela Kern (Slovenia) was the next to try and get away from the grip of the peloton. While no one was really making a big move in the marquee teams, they also seemed to be of no mine to let anyone get a big gap either. Even at 54 kilometers to race, the big moves were yet to happen. Kern may have gone on the attack just to relieve the race boredom she must have been feeling. It seemed the strong riders were more interested in a race of attrition than trying to put their rivals into serious difficulty. As of yet, no one was willing to risk losing the race in order to win it. Will it all come down to the final lap?

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907615-22-295031/Painting/the-next-to-try-uci22-22.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: Off the Front

As the women hit the Wollongong city circuit for the first time it was Elynor Backstedt (Great Britain) off the front with two others. Her sister had already won the Junior Women's Road Race, and she was hoping she would be able to bring home her own Rainbow Jersey in the U23 Women's Road Race. Backstedt was joined in the effort by fellow U23 rider Caroline Andersson (Sweden) and the Elite rider Justine Ghekiere (Belgium). The three had opened up roughly a minute and a half on the peloton as they approached the start of the first of six laps through the city. Still, the peloton had yet to show any real aggression. They still have another 87 kilometers to race, so... plenty of time to go.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907614-21-295031/Painting/off-the-front-uci22-21.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's Road Race: The First Up Mount Kiera

Many expected the one climb up Mount Kiera to be where the women's race was going to kick off. Yet as Gladys Verhulst (France) looked over her shoulder, there was no one chasing. In fact, it seemed the whole peloton was going to wait until they hit the city circuit in Wollongong before they started (to quote Phil Liggett) to turn a pedal in anger. Verhulst had about forty seconds on those behind, but with 127 kilometers to race, it didn't mean much. While the climb wasn't late enough in the race to be decisive, it was enough to but an end to the day of many riders who weren't in the elite peloton ranks.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907613-20-295031/Painting/the-first-up-mount-kiera-uci22-20.html

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Team Relay: She Has to Wait

Liane Lippert (Germany) looks back trying to encourage Mieke Kroger to stay on her wheel as the climb the last rise up towards the finish line in the Mixed Team Relay in Wollongong, NSW. Kroger had done a long hard pull across the flats but couldn't match the climbing prowess of her teammate Lippert. As they climbed they yelled back and forth, knowing that their time would depend on the second woman to cross the line. Clearly Lippert was getting frustrated but she knew she must wait for her teammate so that they could work together in hopes of making the final step of the podium currently occupied by the home team, Australia. At the line they were just eight seconds slower than the Australians. I doubt the eight seconds were lost at this moment, but it didn't help.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906811-19-295031/Painting/she-has-to-wait-uci22-19.html

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Team Relay: One More Minute

Using what is now becoming obviously the winning stradegy, the Italians Vittoria Guazzini (the new U23 Women's Time Trial Champion) and Elisa Longo Borghini (the current World Road Champion - at least until Saturday) are inside the final kilometer with just about a minute left to get to the finish line in the Mixed Team Relay. As strong as they were, they didn't quite have enough speed to better the time of their Swiss adversaries. They came home just under three seconds behind the Swiss team for the Silver Medal. Their time did knock the Australians into the Bronze medal position with just two other teams to finish behind them. Coincidentally, they were the Netherlands and Germany, the only two teams to have ever won this event thus far. The Netherlands had poor luck losing Bauke Mollema to a mechanical problem and then Annemiek Van Vleutin to a rather frightening crash just as she rolled down the start ramp. Despite their misfortune, they did manage a fifth place today.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906802-18-295031/Painting/one-more-minute-uci22-18.html

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Team Relay: Finishing What the Men Started

Just like their male counterparts, Elise Chabbey and Nicole Koller added to their advantage, and posted a new best time as they finished their lap of the Mixed Team Relay. And just like the men, they elected to use one of their teammates up as they came across the costal road inside of the final kilometers of the course. Clearly, that was the winning stradegy as it was the Swiss who were able to fulfill their favored status and take home the Gold Medal in this relatively new event. With the Swiss winning today, the gold medals have gone to three different European teams since the start of this event in 2019 in Great Britian.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906791-17-295031/Painting/finishing-what-the-men-started-uci22-17.html

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Team Relay: Setting It Up for the Women

Stefan Kung and Stefan Disseger were the two men who came together to the line for Switzerland. The duo of Stefans posted the best time at the finish of the men's lap. Since the time is taken on the second man to cross the line, it was not a problem that only two of the three finished together. This duo was handing over a sixteen second advantage to the trio of Swiss women. And it was a very strong line up of women that are just now waiting for the green light to start their race through the streets of Wollongong.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906773-16-295031/Painting/setting-it-up-for-the-women-uci22-16.html

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Team Relay: Starting with an Advantage

Having been given the green light to start their leg of the Mixed Team Relay, the French women started the course with a three second advantage over the time of the Australian women. That was due to the great ride by their male counterparts in the opening leg of this team event. Aude Biannic roled to the front first was Coralie Demay and Juliette Labous fell in behind in the opening meters of their part of the 28 kilometer relay. The trio slipped against the Australian women ultimately finishing the day in seventh when all was said and done.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906723-15-295031/Painting/starting-with-an-advantage-uci22-15.html

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Team Relay: Time to Use the Turbo

If you are unaware, Luke Durbridge's (Australia) - he is on the front - nickname is 'Durbo Turbo'. He is often found on the front of the peloton chasing down break aways for his BikeExchange-Jayco team. Today he is using that particular skill to pull himself, Michael Matthews and Team Australia towards a new best time as the men's half of the Mixed Team Relay. His efforts and that of his female teammates were enough to earn the home team a bronze medal after a long time in the hot seat. It does seem to be a pattern of these Worlds, to have an Australian rider sit in first place right up until the end of the time trials of these games.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906699-14-295031/Painting/time-to-use-the-turbo-uci22-14.html

Wollongong 2022, Mixed Relay: Out of Sync

I can't remember ever seeing Tahiti or any of the other South Pacific island nations at the Worlds before, but then Australia is certainly a lot closer than Europe on the Americas. So it was a treat to see Tekau Hapairai, Kylie Crawford, and Elodi Touffet (Tahiti) out on course after the male members of their team had finished their lap of the Mixed Team Relay. This is only the third year of this event which replaced the team time trials of years past. It makes more sense to have teams compete under their national flag then as their trade teams as it was in years past. With no disrespect to the teams efforts, they were not quite the well oiled machine of some of the big name European teams, but the joy they felt to be competing at the worlds was unmistakable.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906695-13-295031/Painting/out-of-sync-uci22-13.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Men's ITT: Coming Home, Fast!

Tobias Foss (Norway) proved today that there is a reason that you race the race. No one had mention Foss as a potential winner of the Elite Men's Individual Time Trial. He was posting new best times at every check point on the road, including at the finish. But as his bib number shows, he had eleven other men racing their hearts out behind him, many of whom are renowned specialists against the clock. Most notably were; the two time winner of the Tour de France, the current winner of the Veulta d'Espania, and the two time Rainbow Jersey in this very discipline. Yet in the end he was able to but in an amazing final ten kilometers to win the gold medal (and the right to wear the Rainbow Jersey everytime he races a time trial for the next 12 months). Kung came close, but came up just a mere three seconds short of Foss' time. Chapeau!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906195-12-295031/Painting/coming-home-fast-uci22-12.html

Wollongong 2022, Men's ITT: On the Rivot

"On the Rivot" is an old cycling expression that goes back to the days of leather saddles (Brooks made the best - I raced on one back in the 70s). The saddle had a brass rivot on the front of the seat. When one is putting everything into the pedals, one has a tendency to slide forward, and thus finding oneself on the rivot at the front of the saddle. It has come to mean that the rider is going as hard as they possibly can. That is exactly what Stefan Kung (Switzerland) was doing on this ride. He was second at the first check and first at the second one. With only three men behind him, those time stood. He was 14 seconds ahead of the Norwegian, Tobias Foss, at the second time check, but lost 17 seconds in the final ten kilometers of the time trial. While he held off those behind him, he would have to settle for the silver medal today.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906194-11-295031/Painting/on-the-rivot-uci22-11.html

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Men's ITT: New Best Time at Dumfries

The Men's (and the Women's) time trial course took the riders up the 8 % climb up Dumfries Avenue. At the top of the climb was the intermediate time check. As Bruno Armirail (France) reached the summit for the first time he had the newest best time. Alas, the next to riders on the road behind him went over faster, consecutively. All day the crowds have been gathering along the side of the road. While those we can see seem rather sedate, those on the otherside of the road were having quite the party. They even eventually got organized enough to pull of a small crowd wave. Armirail finished the day in 10th place overall.

It is worth noting, the this is the first time in the UCI Road World Championships that the Elite Men and Elite Women have raced the same course and distance in a time trial at the world championships. And they raced both races on the same day, too.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906193-10-295031/Painting/new-best-time-at-dumfries-uci22-10.html

Wollongong 2022, Men's ITT: Early Kilometers

Magnus Cort (Denmark) gained international fame with his exploits while the Tour de France was in his home country coming away with the Maillot a Pois as the race went to France. He then held on to the jersey for eight more days making him a Danish hero. Every painting I did of him in the Tour sold, one actually going to Magnus himself. I was so honored. Naturally, I wanted to paint him again before the season is out, so this was it. As he said on social media after the race, it wasn't the day he had hoped for. But it was nice to see him out on the road again. Hopefully, he will have a better day in the road race on the weekend.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906188-9-295031/Painting/early-kilometers-uci22-9.html

Wollongong 2022, Men's ITT: Down the Ramp

Neilson Powless (USA) was the first of the two Americans to compete in the Elite Men's Time Trial. Powless got off to a good start but, alas, it wasn't to be his day. Both he and I will have to wait until the weekend to have another go for the rainbow bands. Unless he is in the mixed team time trial in the middle of the week.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906186-8-295031/Painting/down-the-ramp-uci22-8.html

Wollongong 2022, Men's ITT: Speeding

Luke Plapp (Australia) was going out on a fast run in the first heat of the Elite Men's Individual Time Trial. As he came out of a sharp corner he was well over the 40 kilometers per hour speed limit. He finished the 32 kilometer course with an average speed of 49.5 kph. Unlike his country woman in the Women's ITT he didn't stay as high up in the standings as Grace Brown (she got the silver medal). He eventually slipped to twelfth place by the end of the day.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3906182-7-295031/Painting/speeding-uci22-7.html

Monday, September 19, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Women's ITT: Young & Fast

Vittoria Guazzini (Italy) will now be the first woman under the age of 23 to claim a Rainbow Jersey as the first U23 Women's Individual Time Trial Champion. Unlike the men's races, the women competed together at the same time in both the Elite and the U23 classifications. So when Guazzini came to the line she was in the postion to win the Bronze Medal in the Elite race. That is until the last woman on the road crossed the line in first place. While it did knock her off of the podium of the elite women, it still meant that she was the new (and first) champion of the Women's U23 Individual Time Trial. Chapeau!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3905973-6-295031/Painting/young-fast-uci22-6.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's ITT: Defending Her Title

As Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands) approached the final kilometers of her ride, it was clear that she should be able to defend her Rainbow Jersey from 2021, moving her into a rare group of three time champions at this discipline on the world stage. Naturally, one of the TV motos had been assigned to follow her around the course through the streets of Wollongong. Yes she did win the day but she was clearly fading in the final ten kilometers. However she was able to reclaim the rainbow stripes by a mere fourteen seconds. It was thirteen seconds more that she had to have.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3905968-5-295031/Painting/defending-her-title-uci22-5.html

Wollongong 2022, Women's ITT: Under 23

Wollongong 2022 is the first time the the U-23 designation has been awarded to the women's races. While the younger riders were on the road competing with the Elite Women they were also competing for their own rainbow jersey of time trial champion. You may notice that Emma Norsgaard Bjerg (Denmark) is racing with a black bib number not the white numbers in the previous paintings. That black number is what denotes that she is racing in the U-23 competition. While she finished in 14th place on the day, I do believe that placing was enough for her to win the Silver Medal in her specific classification. This is one of the paintings that I will have posted on YouTube as I create it in real time.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3905967-4-295031/Painting/under-23-uci22-4.html