The Art of Cycling: April 2022

Monday, April 25, 2022

Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes '22: With Time in Hand

Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) built on her lead all of the way into the finishing straight in downtown Liege. She had forty three seconds advantage over the lagging chase, so there was plenty of time to celebrate her effort. Long before spreading her arms wide she first shook her head in disbelief and then pumped her fist in celebration. Clearly she was relieved to finally get her first victory of the 2022 season, though hardly her first race win in her long and illustrious career. The rainbow stripes on her sleeves show just how strong of a rider she is. If you don't know, it is the honor of any former World Champion to always have the rainbow stripes on their sleeves and collar of their jersey in their respective discipline. Chapeau, Annemiek!

This really does mark the last of the spring classics, and the last race I will paint until the Dauphine and the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes. Thank you for reading and for your support of my cycling art.

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 $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3881406-53-207546/Painting/with-time-in-hand-lbl22-13.html

Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes '22: In Full Flight

Never one to give up (not many cyclists do) Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) went off the front of the small peloton yet again. This time she timed her attack at a moment that left everyone looking at each other to do the chasing. This time she made sure she didn't have anyone on her wheel to slow her down. Given her time trial prowess, once she was gone even a five woman chase wasn't enough to pull the determined Dutch woman back. By the time she had just ten kilometers to race, she had built up an eighteen second lead on those behind. It certainly looked like no one was going to ruin her chances of winning today.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3881392-52-207546/Painting/in-full-flight-lbl22-12.html

Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes '22: Disappearing Up the Road

With the first attack neutralized, Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) saw her chance to go on her own solo raid. She used the final climb to open up about a twenty second lead on those chasing behind. She had just another sixteen kilometers left to go, so she was in with a sliver of a chance to claim victory in Liege. But remember, there is a pissed of Annemiek Van Vleutin on the road behind her, and this time she had some others who were willing to work with her.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3881387-51-207546/Painting/disappearing-up-the-road-lbl22-11.html

Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes '22: Annoyed with the Tactics

Once Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) went on the attack it was only Marlen Reusser (SD Worx) who could hang onto the Dutch woman's wheel. Much to Van Vleutin's frustration, Reusser was only there to make sure she didn't get too far up the road. Reusser was riding in defense of her team leader, Demi Vollering. As much as Van Vleutin flicked her arm for Reusser to take a turn on the front the Swiss Champion wasn't doing a damn thing to help her pull away from her teammates. While Van Vleutin may have been frustrated, it just a traditional team racing tactic. On the other hand, it doesn't strike me as a good idea to anger such a strong rider like Annemiek. More on that later...

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3881382-50-207546/Painting/annoyed-with-the-tactics-lbl22-10.html

Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes '22: On the Back Foot

As the break away and the peloton hit the penultimate climb, the Cote de la Redoute, the moves started. Just ahead of the remains of the early break away is the fast disappearing leader, and race favorite, Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar). Her attack had put the defending LBL champion, Demi Vollering (SD Worx) on the back foot. Her teammate Ashleigh Molman Pasio went to the front and helped Vollering chase down the Movistar team leader. Never one to miss a good move, Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) jumped onto the wheel of Vollering knowing it was a good wheel to pull her up to the race leader.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3881377-49-207546/Painting/on-the-back-foot-lbl22-9.html

Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes '22: Working Well

It was a strong group that had just formed off the front of the peloton when the Liege Bastogne Liege Femmes coverage went on air. Sadly, this was the first I saw of the race with just 41 kilometers to go. By this time in the men's race many riders were on their way to hospital in ambulances, fortunately that didn't happen off camera for the women today. The group that contained Evita Muzic (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Sara Martin (Movistar), Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco), Leah Kirchman (DSM), Clara Honsinger (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB), and Soraya Paladin (Canyon/SRAM) had just over a minute as they hit the bottom of the Cote de la Redoute. There may be one or two more women in this group, but those are all that you can see relatively easily in this painting.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3881158-48-207546/Painting/working-well-lbl22-8.html

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Out on a High Note

A bit of symmetry in today's finish of Liege Bastogne Liege. Today's race was in honor of the last Belgium rider to win this race, Philippe Gilbert. Today, it was a new young home country man, Remco Evenepoel (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) who claimed the win in front of his countymen in Liege. It is also the first of the Belgium, French, and Dutch classics that his team has won. That is a very rare occurrence for this team based in Belgium. Equally, he was move to tears with his win. As he said in his post race interview, he has been struggling both physically and mentally. This win meant everything to him, and his team. Behind him is a climate change protestor, whom I have seen at the finish of races previously. The protestor runs (without endangering the competitors) behind the finishers hoping to get his slogan on camera and seen around the world. Seems a good and relatively harmless way to get his message out.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881106-507-195767/Painting/out-on-a-high-note-lbl22-7.html

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Trying to Get Across

It is hard for me to believe that I am this deep into the season and this is the first time I have painted a member of the Bora-Hansgrohe squad. Alexandr Vlasov sprung free of the chasing greatly reduce peloton in hopes of getting up to the lone leader. The Russian rider managed to get within thirty seconds of Evenepoel, but that was a close as he got. Behind the chase group finally got organized and pulled him back into the fold. His effort meant he didn't have the legs to compete for the final two steps of the podium. After all, no one was going to see Evenepoel until the press scrum on the other side of the finishing line in Liege. Side note, whenever riders' names are shown on screen their national flags are displayed by their name and team initials. However, in the case of Vlasov, the race orgainzers are refusing to display the flag of Russia, so a white rectangle is all that appears. Clearly we know who they feel about Russia's invasion of Ukraine (as do I).

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881105-506-195767/Painting/trying-to-get-across-lbl22-6.html

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Catch and Hope to Release

On the way up the final climb, the Cote de la Roche-aux-Faucons, Remoc Evenepoel (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) jumped clear of the chasing peloton. Evenepoel is known for going on long solo efforts to win a race. Today he left it rather late for his normal standards. He actually tapped his head to tell us all that he knew he was racing smart today. He picked up and dropped each member of the early break away. It was only Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) who could hold the young Belgium riders wheel. Yet he to was eventually dropped as the pair got within twenty kilometers left to race. Those of you who fish should get where I was coming from with this title.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881100-505-195767/Painting/catch-and-hope-to-release-lbl22-5.html

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Leaving Everyone

Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) had been dangling off the back of the break for a while, but as they all started up the Cote de la Redoute, he simply rode them all off his wheel. With roughly another thirty kilometers to go it may be a tall order to stay away from the peloton, but it is his best chance to win today. All along the roads were tributes to Philippe Gilbert who is riding this race for the last time in his career. As a Belgium rider, all of Flanders were out to say thank you to the former National and World Champion who grew up at the base of the next climb on this course.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881097-504-195767/Painting/leaving-everyone-lbl22-4.html

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: All Day

It seems every time the camera cut to the front of the peloton there was Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain Victorious) was out there setting the pace. He was dropped on the previous climb, but was soon back through the peloton and on the front for his team yet again. Sanchez is yet another veteran in this peloton starting the day at 38 years old. With this much time out in the wind it seems clear that his team has someone else in mind for victory when they return to Liege.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881092-503-195767/Painting/all-day-lbl22-3.html

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Pit Stop

With experience comes tranquility. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) couldn't have been calmer as he pulled out of the peloton to get a front wheel change. Valverde is the oldest rider in the peloton with his 42nd birthday coming this week. Watching the wheel change, I was reminded of the Indy 500 pit stop row complete with power tools being used to change his wheel. I suspect that the fan holding the Colombian flag would have hoped to be this close to one of his countrymen in the race as opposed to this rather famous Spanish cyclists. The Movistar team leader was easily able to chase back onto the peloton rather quickly due to a skilled wheel change by his mechanic.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881089-502-195767/Painting/pit-stop-lbl22-2.html

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Who's Got the Legs?

As the leading group went up the Cote du Stockeu Harm Vanhoucke (Lotto Soudal) pushed the pace up the climb. He did split the early group apart. He took a quick look behind to see who was still with him. Unfortunately, he did drop his own teammate. While the group of now six men had a sizable gap on the peloton, just over three minutes, they still had another 75 kilometers to race.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881078-501-195767/Painting/whos-got-the-legs-lbl22-1.html

Monday, April 18, 2022

Paris Roubaix '22: Another Sprint Behind

To quote Yogi Berra, "It's deja vu all over again." Yesterday the Paris Roubaix Femmes saw the winner come in alone with nearly a two minute advantage over a small chasing group that would sprint it out for the last two steps of the podium. Today it was Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos-Grenadiers) winning solo, with this group of four unable to get onto the Dutchman's wheel in the closing kilometers of the race. In the women's race it was five chasers behind Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo). Here, Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) hugged the wall at the top of the banked turns of the Roubaix Velodrome forcing those behind to drop down to start their sprint where he would easily see the move. You maybe able to see that it is Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) who is just about to launch his sprint to the line. He was first chased by Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) them Mohoric, followed by Tom Devriendt (Intermache Wanty-Gobert Materiaux). As one might expect, it was Van Aert who got there first (well, second actually) followed by Kung in third. Devriendt (a relatively unknown) taking a surprising fourth, and Mohoric having to accept finishing the day in the last of the top five of the 119th Paris Roubaix.

This will most likely do it for me until the Dauphine in June, my final warm up race before the Tour de France in July.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879940-500-195767/Painting/another-sprint-behind-pr22-16.html

Paris Roubaix '22: Time to Celebrate

I love it when I can use a title that has two different, and correct, meanings. As Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos-Grenadier) rode around the fabled velodrome in Roubaix, he knew it was time to celebrate his victory of the 119th Paris Roubaix. With a minute and forty seven seconds lead he also had plenty of time to celebrate the victory for both himself and the first ever for his team. Paris Roubaix is one of the very few races that has eluded Ineos-Grenadiers or its previous names while they seem to have won every other race on the pro calender over the last nearly two decades.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879927-499-195767/Painting/time-to-celebrate-pr22-15.html

Paris Roubaix '22: Where Did You Go?

Tom Devriendt (Intermache Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) looked back to find Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) coming back to his wheel. It has looked like Mohoric was the strongest in the break, but suddenly he dropped off the pace. There was no indication that he had a mechanical, but he apparently got himself sorted. As he came back to the unexpected leader, he brought Yves Lambert (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) along with him. Just in the background, you can make out the red shoulders of Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos-Grenadiers) about to make it four guys on the front with 28 kilometers left of Paris Roubaix. There are some of the favorites chasing behind, but this quartet is looking like the podium for today's race.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879926-498-195767/Painting/where-did-you-go-pr22-14.html

Paris Roubaix '22: Keep Going!

With the leading group down to two it was time for Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) and Tom Devriendt (Intermache Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) to have a strategy debate. They knew that at least one rider was coming across, but a 30 second gap was a bit too long to wait for. It seemed like their best decision was going to be, "keep going!" At this point they were still in a strong position to win the 119th edition of Paris Roubaix.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879918-497-195767/Painting/keep-going-pr22-13.html

Paris Roubaix '22: Crossing on His Own

The way Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos-Grenadiers) left the peloton and set out to catch the leaders implied that he was going to be a force to reckon with in the remaining 48 kilometers. He was now just 41 seconds behind as he turned onto the Mons En Prevele pave section. Ahead it can be supposed that those ahead would welcome some fresher legs to help them stay away from the others.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879911-496-195767/Painting/crossing-on-his-own-pr22-12.html

Paris Roubaix '22: Time to Chase

For thirty five kilometers the peloton hadn't closed on the break away up the road, so Jumbo-Visma decided it was time to chase. It might be a bad omen for the break that Nathan Van Hooydonck and Wout Van Aert decided to up the pace as they rode on Sector 13 outside of Orchies. By the time the Jumbo-Visma duo got to the end of the sector, they had pulled back 30 seconds on the three guys up the road. They also wittled down the large peloton, or perhaps it was the constant jarring from the jagged cobblestone roads.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879910-495-195767/Painting/time-to-chase-pr22-11.html

Paris Roubaix '22: Maintaining Their Lead

Mainly due to the efforts of Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) the early break was still maintaining their two minute advantage over the peloton, despite having lost one member of their escape group. As they crossed the Warlaing a Brillon section of pave, Tom Devriendt (Intermache Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) was stuck on the Slovenian's wheel but a small gap was opening between Devriendt and Laurent Pichon (Arkea-Samsic). They have maintained the same time gap for the last twenty kilometers and four section of the famed pave's of Paris Roubaix.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879862-494-195767/Painting/maintaining-their-lead-pr22-10.html

Paris Roubaix '22: A Forest of Fans

I didn't join up with the broadcast of Paris Roubaix until just before the break away rode into the Trouee d'Arenburg. This is the first of three the five star sections of cobbled roads. This foursome was being lead past the thousands of excited fans by Tom Devriendt (Intermache Wanty-Gobert Materiaux). The rest of the break had a two minute lead over the peloton and included Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious), Casper Pedersen (DSM), and Laurent Pichon (Arkea-Samsic). With another 93 kilometers and 19 more sections of cobbles to go it clearly remains to be seen if this group has the legs to stay away into the velodrome.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879855-493-195767/Painting/a-forest-of-fans-pr22-9.html

Saturday, April 16, 2022

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: The Sprint Behind

Unable to chase down the Italian Champion, the sextet of Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), Lucinda Brand and her teammate Ellen Van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo), along with Floortje Mackaij (DSM), Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), and Elise Chabbey (Canyon/SRAM) found themselves sprinting it out for second place. That honor went to Kopecky with Brand taking the final step of the podium. Chabbey took fourth, Cavalli in fifth, Mackaij in sixth. Van Dijk dropped off a few seconds having let of the sprint for Brand and finish in seventh. Trek-Segafredo clearly would have loved to have had their team leader still in the race, but taking first and third for the team and three in the top seven seems a very good result to me.

I'll be back tomorrow to paint the men's race. It being Easter, I may not be able to finish it all on Sunday. It will all be up by Monday then.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879623-492-195767/Painting/the-sprint-behind-pr22-8.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: The Second Queen

There is a certain symmetry in Elisa Longo Borghini's (Trek-Segafredo) win today. Last year she took third as her teammate Lizzie Deigan won the first Paris Roubaix Femmes and Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) took second. This year Deigan didn't race and Vos had to pull out before the race start due to a positive Covid test. I hope she recovers quickly and completely. (Not that she didn't win today on her own merit!) Her 23 second advantage over the six women chasing behind was no fluke, clearly she had the legs today to avenge her team leader's disqualification. Chapeau!

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879613-491-195767/Painting/the-second-queen-pr22-7.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: Ready for Her Close Up

I enjoy when the camera operators get each other into one of their shots. Here the helicopter is not only showing us Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) alone with a 38 second advantage, but they are also letting us see one of the TV moto guys standing on the back of the motorcycle so we can see a close up of the Italian Champion looking like she will be the second queen of Paris Roubaix Femmes. I pharaphrased Gloria Swanson's famous line,"I'm ready for my close up Mister DeMille" to title this painting. I feel certain now that Elisa will get a close up as she crosses the finish line in the fabled Roubaix velodrome in another four and a half kilometers. I don't think it will be a group photo either.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879610-490-195767/Painting/ready-for-her-close-up-pr22-6.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: A Change of Plan

Within moments of her teammate Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) being pulled off the bike in disqualifcation, Elisa Longo Borghini went off on her own. She quickly built up a lead of fifteen seconds as she left yet another section of pave. Obviously, with their team leader out of the race, it was time to change the race plan. I don't know if this move was the Italian Champion's own idea, or it came from the team director, but it did help set the team's delimma to rights. They were even better off with two more members of the team in the chase group behind this Elisa.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879572-489-195767/Painting/a-change-of-plan-pr22-5.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: Too Sticky

There is an expression in cycling, "Getting a sticky bottle." It means that a cyclist and the team director in the car will hold onto a water bottle a little longer than necessary thus towing the cyclist along. The UCI Road World Champion, Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) was having a rough Paris Roubaix Femmes with both a crash and a poorly timed flat tire. As she was working her way back up to the peloton she use a sticky bottle move to catch a bit of a rest. Problem was, she was caught on camera and disqualified for holding onto her team car for way too long. She was pulled out of the race so as not to provide any help to her teammates that were still in the race. I'm used to seeing this move resulting in a time penalty in the big tours, but this is the first time I have seen a rider kicked out of the race. I guess that is a difference of a stage race versus a one day race.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879571-488-195767/Painting/too-sticky-pr22-4.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: Now There Are Three

Turns out at least one more woman had the legs to bridge up to Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx). That was Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo). As they left Pave Sector 10, the three were continuing to add to there advantage on the peloton. Will they be able to keep growing their gap?

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879566-487-195767/Painting/now-there-are-three-pr22-3.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: Is This The Move?

As the peloton crossed Sector 12 it was Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) who went on the offensive. As she road off the front it was only Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) who could hold onto the Belgium Champion's wheel. Once the pair had a gap they set about working together to grow their advantage. While they had just under 53 kilometers to race, these two have the legs to make this attack stick. However, so many different things can go wrong one the cobbles.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879563-486-195767/Painting/is-this-the-move-pr22-2.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes '22: Shaking Apart

As the early break away split up, I couldn't resist the title. Amalie Lutro (Uno-X) was just losing the wheel of her erstwhile break away companion Tantja Erath (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB). The third member to the early break has already fallen victim to a flat tire on Section 15 of the Pave of Paris-Roubaix. They have another 70 kilometers to race, so it may not be best that they weren't able to stay together.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3879558-485-195767/Painting/shaking-apart-pr22-1.html

Monday, April 4, 2022

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: Closing the Deal

This painting actually has a lot going on. Obviously, it is Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) raising her arms in victory just edging out the defending champion Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar). But it was down to the hard pace set by her teammate Chantal Van Der Broek-Blaak that set the Belgium champion up for a perfect (and fresh leg) sprint. As the race coverage swung over to the Belgium fans watching the finish, they were all spraying each other with some very tasty Belgium beers as their champion became the new champion of Ronde Van Vlaanderen. They had been deprived of seeing the male Belgium champion, Wout Van Aert, race today due to his having Covid. Van Vleutin seem to accept that she had very little chance of getting the win going up against two very strong teammates, but was still quite happy to take second, just the same.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877206-47-207546/Painting/closing-the-deal-rvv22-14.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: Coming Home Together

Defending Ronde Van Vlaanderen champion, Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) was in a tough position coming to the five kilometer banner with two women from Team SD Worx. On the back of the threesome was the leader of the team (the one with the one at the end of her bib number), Lotte Kopecky. The Belgium champion had the advantage of having her teammate, a former winner of this race herself, Chantal Van Der Broek-Blaak, on the front driving the pace all of the way to the finale. Less anyone forget, here is a perfect example of cycling being a team sport, not just the racing of an individual.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877202-46-207546/Painting/coming-home-together-rvv22-13.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: First to Reach the Final Climb

Both Christine Majerus (SD Worx) and Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) had team leaders in the group behind, but that wasn't stopping them from riding on their own behalf off the front. At the base of the final climb, the Paterburg, they had a bit of a lead on those chasing behind. The question is; should they be caught will they have the legs to help out their teammates to win the race. If they aren't caught, who will have the legs to win the day?

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877200-45-207546/Painting/first-to-the-final-climb-rvv22-12.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: Lighting the Touch Paper

Annemiek Van Vleutin (Movistar) who had won this race last year, knew that the Kruisberg was going to be a good place to put in her attack for victory. Last year no one was able to hold her wheel and she rode the remaining 28 kilometers alone to victory. This year however, she may have dropped Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) but Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) was stuck to the Dutch woman's wheel. There were still a few women up the road, but looking at this duo, the others weren't going to be leading the race for much longer.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877197-44-207546/Painting/lighting-the-touch-paper-rvv22-11.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: Sneaking a Peek

Maike Van Der Duin (Le Col-Wahoo) kept riding away from her break away companions. As she left them yet again, she looked across the newly plowed field to see if she could see the peloton behind. She had to know that the various national champions, along with the European and World Champions weren't going to let her stay away if they could catch her. Clearly she wasn't riding in fear of their combined reputations.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877196-43-207546/Painting/sneaking-a-peek-rvv22-10.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: Two North Americans in Europe

The idea was to imitate the classic film title, "An American in Paris." I'm not too sure I succeed with the title, but so it goes. Olivia Baril (Valcar-Travel & Service) and Clara Honsinger (EF Education-TIBCO -SVB) are both from North American, Baril a Canadian, and Hosinger calls the United States home. The pair had dropped their break away companions on the previous climb as they continued to hold nearly a minute and a half on the closing peloton. With 65 kilometers left to race it was looking good for the duo, but I believe they still have a least five climbs yet to tackle.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877191-42-207546/Painting/two-north-americans-in-europe-rvv22-9.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: From the Beginning

This quartet had gotten off the front of the peloton from nearly kilometer zero. With 160 K to race, staying off the front was going to be a challenge. However, with the race almost half way done, Maria Martins (Le Col-Wahoo), Sofie Van Rooijen (Parkhotel-Valkenburg), Olivia Baril (Valcar-Travel & Service), and Clara Honsinger (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) they still had over two minutes behind. At this point they were climbing the Wolvenberg which may mean the peloton will close on them quickly.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877188-41-207546/Painting/from-the-beginning-rvv22-8.html

Sunday, April 3, 2022

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Men '22: Showing His Strength

It was a real flexing of his cycling muscles when Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Finix) got away on the final climb with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates). But when he had the legs to get up to speed so quickly as Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) closed in. So naturally, he flexed his arms muscle as he punched the air in a victory salute. Van Baarle did get around Madouas to take second, leaving Pogacar gesturing in frustration as he finished the day in first. As it was said on air, he has only himself to blame having played "cat and mouse" in the final meters of the race. A game that let the two that beat him in the sprint able to catch the leading duo. He did seem to be whining about getting shut off in his sprint by Van Baarle, but it was a clean sprint that used clean lines. I know I am most frustrated when things go wrong when I know it was my own fault, particularly when I knew that I wasn't ready for what could come.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3876967-484-195767/Painting/showing-his-strength-rvv22-7.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Men '22: Letting Them Back In?

The front duo of Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Finix) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) came into the final kilometer with plenty of time to contest for first and second with no one else in the frame. However, the two slowed each trying to force the other to the front. As they were trying to beat the other those behind, including Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) and Dylan Van Baarle (Ineos-Grenadiers) were going flat out to catch the two leaders. It seems like they may have blown it since those behind were at full speed while they were barely moving with just 250 meters to race. Van Der Poel was looking back at least, so he got the jump on Pogacar as Madouas was upon them.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3876963-483-195767/Painting/letting-them-back-in-rvv22-6.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Men '22: Nothing Between Them

The title comes from what the race commentator on FloBikes said as Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) rode away from everyone else on the final ascent of the Kwaremont. The other three off the front with them weren't able to go with their acceleration on the climb and so these two were off in search of a victory back in town. With 13 kilometers to race and the fact that they were working well together, it was looking like it was their's for the taking. Those behind weren't giving up just yet, however.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3876952-482-195767/Painting/nothing-between-them-rvv22-5.html