Fleche Wallone Femmes ‘24: Finally Her’s

I have been a fan of Katarzyna Niewiadoma since I first painted her in the 2015 UCI World Championships in Richmond, Virginia.  I hadn’t planned on painting this year’s Fleche Wallone Femmes until I saw on social media that she had won the race.  And she did it in a stunning fashion!  With about 300 meters to go she attacked her erstwhile companions, Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) both national champions of they countries. She quickly dropped the duo winning the race she has long coveted by two seconds over Vollering and another two seconds back to Longo Borghini.  I couldn’t be happier for her, nor her for herself and her team.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/4009725-81-207546/Painting/finally-hers-fw24-4.html

Fleche Wallone Femmes ‘24: Up the Mur d’Huy

First, I am amused that in my excitement with the finale of Fleche Wallone Femmes, I forgot to sign and date the penultimate painting of the race today.  Should you purchase this painting, it will be signed. 

Last year’s winner, Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime) chose to lead up the climb of the Mur d’Huy.  As the peloton climbed it came down to just Elisa Longo-Borghini (Lidl-Trek) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) that could hold onto the Dutch Champion’s wheel.  The trio had just two more kilometers to climb and it certainly looks like Vollering will be repeating her win of the Fleche Wallone Femmes.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/4009723-80-207546/Painting/up-the-mur-dhuy.-fw24-3.html

Fleche Wallone Femmes ‘24: Let Her Go

With five kilometers and one very steep climb to go, Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike) decided to jump clear of the peloton. Not to belittle her effort, she did gain seventeen seconds on the chasers, but they clearly let her go on a solo run.  With the Mur d’Huy laying in wait, those behind were confident that this effort would leave her unable to stay away on the seventeen percent climb of over a kilometer.  They weren’t wrong.

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. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/4009720-79-207546/Painting/let-her-go.-fw24-2.html

Fleche Wallone Femmes ‘24: The End Is Nigh

Grace Brown (FDJ-Suez) looks back to find the quickly closing peloton with another seventeen kilometers left to race.  She and the woman on her wheel, Paulina Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck), had set off to catch the two leaders yet were unable to get within a minute of the pair they were chasing.  With the penultimate climb of the day looming, it is unlikely they will be off the front for much longer.

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. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/4009718-78-207546/Painting/the-end-is-nigh.-fw24-1.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Back to Back

I always enjoy when I can use a title that has two interpretations.  Today Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won his second Paris Roubaix in a row.  He was three minutes ahead of his teammate, Jasper Philipsen which is two minutes and twenty seconds better than where they finished last year.  Also, he won today in the Rainbow Jersey of World Champion as did Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) in yesterday’s Paris Roubaix Femmes.  So it was back to back wins for World Champions as well.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008497-575-195767/Painting/back-to-back.-pr24-16.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Racing for Second

With the race leader now three minutes up the road, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), and Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) have resigned themselves to racing for second place in this edition of Paris Roubaix.  Last year it was Philipsen coming in a distant second to his teammate currently up the road, Mathieu Van Der Poel.  Pedersen was fourth last year, and would dearly like to make it onto the podium this year.  Politt was in the top ten last year as well.  This year has been both faster and dryer, but equally exciting (despite knowing who would win the race for the least forty kilometers).  As expected, the sprinter Philipsen took second again, and Pedersen moved up to third this year.  Politt missed the podium finishing fourth on the day.  But in a race that just finishing is a feet, fourth and bad!  The stats are that only 110 finished inside the time limit, with another 18 coming in too late to have their results counted.  Another 43 did not finished the race, with just one rider being disqualified.  Three who were scheduled to start today were unable to even start the Hell of the North.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.  

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008496-574-195767/Painting/racing-for-second.-pr24-15.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Chasing the Chasers

Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ) had crashed out of the chasing group up ahead and was making little progress towards rejoining his teammate ahead.  That was until Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) came up from the next group back on the road.  It may not have been wise for Vermeersch to tow Pithie up to the chasing group since that would bring another Groupama-FDJ rider to help the chase of his own team leader.  However, by now, Mathieu Van Der Poel was three minutes up the road with little chance of anyone seeing am until the fable showers under the Roubaix Velodrome.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008495-573-195767/Painting/chasing-the-chasers.-pr24-14.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Filming the Leader

I toyed with the idea of calling this one “following the leader” but felt that filming the leader was more apt.  In just twenty kilometers, Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) had stretched his lead to just under two minutes over the chasers behind.  They were being frustrated by his teammates latching onto their efforts but not putting in any pulls to bring back the Rainbow Jersey.  It is always stunning to see what the camera men and women will do on the back of a speeding motorcycle to give us all engaging images of the sport we all dearly love.  Of course, this camera angle is from underneath the hovering helicopter.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008491-572-195767/Painting/filming-the-leader.-pr24-13.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Making His Own Luck

A big part of being successful in Paris Roubaix, is having good luck.  That was certainly true of Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).  But he was going to rely on luck.  As the leading group was just getting going on Pave Sector 13, he but in a massive attack.  Just like that he was away, in seemingly a second he had a five second lead on the others.  He has almost sixty kilometers to go, but he has become the king of the long solo effort.  That is the reason he is the current World Champion since he went on a long solo effort in Glasgow last fall.  Can the men’s world champion follow suit with the women’ champion and claim victory in the Rainbow Jersey?

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008488-571-195767/Painting/making-his-own-luck.-pr24-12.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Leading for Now

After a flurry of attacks on the previous pave sectors, this threesome got away.  It was started by Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who was quickly joined by Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) and Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ).  Politt had been having a tough go, but once he had the near miss (see my early post) he was on fire.  With 73 kilometers to go, the trio has built up a twenty two second lead on the group of favorites behind.  All three have at least one teammate in the group behind, so it will be left to others to chase them down.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008483-570-195767/Painting/leading-for-now.-pr24-11.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Into the Woods

Despite other teams doing the pace just before the Trouee d’Arenberg sector, it was Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) who opened up the first gap on the legendary cobbles through the woods and cycling fans.  With another 95 kilometers to race, here was not where the race could be won.  But far too many times, it is where many a Paris Roubaix hopeful’s race has come to an end.  Today, there were a few stumbles, and a few more flat tires, but at least everyone got through upright and in one piece.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008477-569-195767/Painting/into-the-woods.-pr24-10.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Tight Squeeze

Nils Politt (UAE Team Emirates) was having a tough race.  He has been plagued by bad luck.  He has been forced to chase back on several times already.  At least this time fortune smiled.  The race referee’s car, trying to get around a slow team car cut the corner short just missing the former German champion.  Perhaps he can take it as a sign that his Paris Roubaix luck has started to swing to his favor.  Just ahead is Tom Pidcock (Ineos-Grenadiers) also chasing back from a spot of misfortune.  The two teamed up and got back onto the tail of the leading peloton.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008476-568-195767/Painting/tight-squeeze.-pr24-9.html

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Is My Race Over?

Like most of the peloton, Joshua Tarling (Ineos_Grenadiers) was having a tough race with ill timed flat tires and minor crashes (although some did leave the race by ambulance).  However, Tarling was seen holding on to his team car as it pulled him back up towards the peloton.  At about the half way point, the race referee pulled along side him to let him know he had been disqualified.  All that was left for the Brit was to soft pedal until he could get into is team car.  Phil Liggett made sure to point out that Tarling isn’t a cheat, usually, but he did get caught today.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008474-567-195767/Painting/is-my-race-over-pr24-8.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: What She Wanted

Clearly, every woman who started the fourth edition of Paris Roubaix Femmes wanted to win the race, and many had a realistic chance of doing just that, but Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) had built her spring campaign around winning today.  As the five women ramped up their sprint, it looked like the World Champion was going to get boxed in.  As Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) sprinted shoulder to shoulder on the inside, Kopecky had to swing up high to get around the equally fast closing Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) to contest for victory.  But she wasn’t to be denied today, claiming the title of the Queen of Paris Roubaix.  Georgi wasn’t quite able to just get pass Balsamo with the Italian taking second, and the Brit in third.  Vos came up just a bit short on her bike throw finishing the day in fourth.  Behind them, Amber Kraak (FDJ-Suez) finished fifth.  Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) who had done so much for her teammate finished about eight seconds later, with the rest of the chasers coming in nearly a half a minute after Kopecky.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008379-566-195767/Painting/what-she-wanted.-pr24-7.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: On the Velodrome

Having followed the wheel of the British Champion Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL), Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) was able to ride onto the Roubaix Velodrome with the leaders.  She did have a slight advantage despite having gone through a rough patch.  She was the only one in the group with a teammate.  Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) was again on the front driving the pace in hopes of aiding her Italian teammate.  On the wheel of Van Dijk was Georgi, who was followed in turn by Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), and Amber Kraak (FDJ-Suez).  It was a fairly evenly matched group that started the final lap of the velodrome, but three are all known for their sprinting abilities.  Possibly Balsamo is the best at the sprint game, but just what she has left remains to be seen.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008378-565-195767/Painting/on-the-velodrome.-pr24-6.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: Backward & Forward

Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) was coming back to the front of the race having tangled wheels with one of her teammates.  Both managed to stay upright, but it left the British champion chasing back across the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector.  Conversely, Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) was going through a bad patch and was dropping away from the leading group.  Thus the title, backward for the actions of Balsamo, and forward for those of Georgi.  With just sixteen kilometers to race, and this being the final truly tough section of cobbles, it was going to be tough for either of these women to see the leaders of the race again.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008377-564-195767/Painting/backward-forward.-pr24-5.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: Gaining an Advantage

On the pave section named after the windmill off to her right, Jade Wiel (FDJ-Suez) opens up a twenty second lead with another 33 kilometers to go.  She must have felt good to ride solo past her team’s main sponsor’s banners as she neared the end of the eighth pave section, the Templeuvue Moulin de Vertain.  Behind her, the erstwhile leading quartet were getting their chase of the former French National Champion organized.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008375-563-195767/Painting/gaining-an-advantage.-pr24-4.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: Is the Selection Made?

With another 51 kilometers to race, this marquee foursome were opening up a ten second gap on the chasers.  Is it possible that these four will be the ones to fight it out in the sprint on the velodrome in Roubaix?  As they ride pass on of the soigneurs for Uno-X, Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) looks over at Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) as they follow Christina Schwienberger  (Fenix-Deceunick).  Watching them all is Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike). Between them there are four current of previous national champions, and a former and the current World Champion.  Certainly, this is a group that has the pedigree to hold of the peloton all of the way to Roubaix.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008373-562-195767/Painting/is-the-selection-made-pr24-3.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: A Bit of a Gap

As they came off of Sector 14, Ellen Van Dijk (Lidl-Trek) pushed the pace getting a bit of a gap on the chasing peloton.  Not only was she helping herself, she was pulling Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) away from those behind.  With another 64 kilometers to race, it was too early to tell if this move was going to become “the move,” but others have gone off on their own by this point in early editions of both the women’s and the men’s races over the years.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008371-560-195767/Painting/one-done.-pr24-1.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes ‘24: One Done

As the peloton hit 76 kilometers to go they had only gone through the first of the seventeen pave sections of the fourth edition of the Paris Roubaix Femmes.  At this point as they crossed the narrow bridge in La Scarpe, the group was still one large peloton.  At the tail of the group is Roxane Fournier (St Michel-Mavic-Auber 93).  Not the best place to ride when so much can go wrong at a moments notice.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008371-560-195767/Painting/one-done.-pr24-1.html