Giro, Final Srage: Modern Day Warriors

As they rounded the final corner, it was Team Quick Step that hit the front.  Elia Viviani, their team leader, was looking for another stage win.  His Maglia Ciclamino wasn't in danger, but there isn't a sprinter who doesn't want to win every stage they can.  Behind the self titled Wolf Pack was Bahrain Merida.  I wonder how many of those along the side of the roads had plan on seeing the final stage of the Giro and how many were just caught up in the crowds while trying to see the sites.  Again, I have ridden these roads, without cheering crowds and with quite a few cars and tour buses.  Clearly, I am dreaming of being back in Rome riding around this eternal city.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3170399-97-249297/PaintingRiding-'Round-Roma--G18-101.html

Giro, Final Stage: Attacking the Bell Lap

On the final lap through the streets of Rome, a small group got away led by Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin).  He went clear of the rest as they crested the only climb of the day.  Just to his left are the Spanish Steps leading back down to the piazza.  His route will include a couple of tight hair pin turns before encircling the piazza on their way back to the Coloseum.  Just off of the piazza is a small church that houses on of Caravaggio's best paintings, the Crucifixion of St. Peter.  Oddly it is located in a dimly lit side altar, although a few euros will bring it to brilliant light for a few minutes.  I digress.  With a rider like Tony Martin, it will be a big effort for the sprinters' lead out trains to re-establish control at the front of the race.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3170397-96-249297/PaintingAttacking-the-Bell-Lap--G18-100.html

Giro, Final Stage: Riding 'Round Roma

I have ridden this exact stretch of road!  Not as fast, not without traffic and certainly not with anyone cheering my progress around the city, but exciting just the same.  With half of the peloton out the back and out of danger, this duo of Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha-Alpecin) and Christopher Juul Jensen (Mitchelton-Scott) thought they might be able to surprise the sprinters' and their teams.  With 29 kilometers, or just under three laps to go, it was unlikely that they will succeed.  It is the Colosseum on their right as they swing through the Piazzo del Colosseo and head into the finishing straight. 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3170227-95-249297/PaintingRiding-'Round-Roma--G18-99.html

Giro, Final Stage: Letting the Air Out

Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo) the Danish National Champion, has ridden enough pave in his life to know that you need a little less air in the tires to handle the rough roads.  Having ridden thorugh Rome while a Visiting Artist to the American Academy in Rome, I knew just how rough the roads were.  I didn't think they were all that bad, after all I have also ridden in Manhattan (New York City) as well as the back roads of West Virginia.

But Pedersen actions are a great analogy for what happened during the final stage of this Giro.  Chris Froome and others high up in the general classification basically called a sit down strike to protest the concieved dangers of the course.  After much slow riding and discussion it was decided to neutralize the stage, taking the final GC times on the third lap of the ten lap circuit.  This was done in order to reduce risk - or to take away a very real chance that there would be serious racing through Rome and upsets (maybe even for Froome himself) in the overall standings at the end of the day.  Once this was set, those with hopes of winning the stage, or assisting their sprinters, got on with racing, while the rest just tooled around the city for awhile.  The Gruppo Maglia Rosa finished the day ten minutes behind the sprinters! 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3170222-94-249297/PaintingLetting-the-Air-Out--G18-98.html

Giro, Final Stage, Curtain Call

All put one rider of Team Sky joined arms as they rode throught Roma in celebration of a quite historic win.  Missing was Vasil Kiryienka who pulled out two days ago.  Those who got to take the bow with their pink handlebar tape flashing (Froome has a brilliant pink bike instead) where, Chris Froome, Kenny Elissonde, David de la Cruz, Sergio Henao, Christian Knees, Wout Poels and Salvatore Puccio.  Earlier the announcers were claiming that Froome was the first rider to hold all three grand tour jersey at once.  While that isn't correct, he is now just one of three to accomplish that feat.  Miguel Indurain achieved that remarkable task and the great Eddy Merckx went on better, winning four consecutive grand tours.  Froome will be starting the Tour, so he could equal Merckx this July.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

This painting is sold!

Giro, Final Stage: First and Last

During the neutral role out, and through much of the early part of the stage (more about that later), riders had sometime to chat, congratulate each other, and generally revel in getting through to the final stage of the 101st Giro d'Italia.  Giuseppe Fonzi (Wilier Triestina) mad sure to congratulate Chriss Froome (Sky).  The pair represent the fastest, the Maglia Rosa and the slowest finisher, in the Tour de France, it is called the lantern rouge, here it is the Maglia Nera (black jersey).  While there was breifly an actual jersey awarded, now it is just a dubious honor.  For Fonzi, he was an animator of many break aways, so has no reason to hang his head.  Plus unlike some twenty plus riders, he made it to the final stage.  Beside the two, you can just see Elia Viviani (Quickstep) leaning in to chat with another rider on Team Sky.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3170188-92-249297/PaintingFirst-and-Last-G18-96.html

Giro, Stage 20: Well Done

The first to reach out and shake Chris Froome's (Sky) hand was his most loyal lieutenant, Wout Poels.  Poels had been dropped by the multiple attacks on the final climb of the Giro.  He managed to claw his way back up to Froome and the rest of the contenders.  Not only did he rejoin, but he had the legs to lead out Froome in a sprint that added six more seconds to the Maglia Rosa's lead over Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb).  The only one holding onto the wheels of the Team Sky duo was Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain Merida), who had clearly recovered from his bad day on stage 19.  The next to cross was Richard Carapaz (Movistar) but he was unable to gain time on Angel Miguel Lopez's (Astana) Maglia Bianca.  So, no jerseys changed hands today, and it is very unlikely that any will change in Rome either.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169726-91-249297/PaintingWell-Done--G18-95.html

Giro, Stage 20: Flying Solo

Mikel Nieve's (Mitchelton-Scott) gamble paid off big.  Nieve, who spent most of this Giro working for his team leader, Simon Yates, showed just how strong of a climber he is.  He road all of the final climb on his own gaining time on all of the rest of those left in the race on the way to Cervinia and his team's sixth stage victory.  I have grown use to seeing less exciting vehicles as race cars, but leave it to the Giro d'Italia to use the gorgeous Alpha Romeos to ride the race directors and referees around.  Not bad, not bad at all.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169721-90-249297/PaintingFlying-Solo--G18-94.html

Giro, Stage 20: What He Must Do

Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) had only one option if he was going to win the Giro d'Italia.  Attack, attack, attack.  With ten kilometers left to race for GC, Dumoulin went hard on a steep section of the climb up to Cervinia.  Chris Froome (Sky) was quickly on to the Dutchman's wheel.  The two traded blows the rest of the way up to the finish of the last stage of hostilities.  The stage on the streets of Rome will be one for the sprinters, but it is tradition not to attack the Maglia Rosa on the final day of the Giro, as it is in the Tour de France or the Veulta d'Espania.  At this point, Dumoulin was the only one in the group with a teammate.  He had the able assistance of Sam Oomen, who was hoping that he could help is team leader while also moving up in the Maglia Bianca for himself.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169717-89-249297/PaintingWhat-He-Must-Do--G18-93.html

Giro, Stage 20: The Last 10 K of Climbing

As Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) started up the final climb of this Giro d'Italia, the Cervinia, he set off on his own.  Nieve had been working tirelessly helping is team leader, Simon Yates, hold onto his Maglia Rosa for thirteen days.  Now he was free to use his climbing prowess to his own gain.  Riding under the ten kilometers to go banner, it was looking like he was going to get his first stage win, and the sixth for his team.  Despite not holding the Maglia Rosa all of the way to Rome, Mitchelton-Scott has had a brilliant Giro!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169675-88-249297/PaintingThe-Last-10-K-of-Climbing--G18-92.html

Giro, Stage 20: Cooked

All of the effort, all of the kilometers, all of the climbs, and all of the attacking yesterday seemed to have finally caught up with Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ).  On the way up the Col Saint Pantaleon the Frenchman seemed to hit a wall.  He was cooked.  One of his teammates got him a bottle from the team car, passed it over, Pinot simply passed it back to the car.  He knew his Giro had ended and he wasn't going to be on the podium after all.  He was escorted through the rest of the stage by Sebastien Reichenbach, Jeremy Roy and Steve Morabito.  Pinot had fought hard for the complete race but sometimes the body says enough is enough.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169671-87-249297/PaintingCooked--G18-91.html

Giro, Stage 20: Free to Race

Given the collapse of Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain Merida), his teammate, Matej Mohoric was free to race for himself on the penultimate stage of this the 101st Giro d'Italia.  Mohoric had left his break away companions at the base of the Col Saint Pantaleon in hopes of imitating Froome's feat from the day before.  With forty four kilometers to race, it was a tall order for the Slovenian to stay off the front despite that he was no threat to any of those in the top ten on the general classification.  The other possiblity is that he was setting himself up as a aide for Pozzovivo to bridge up to on the final climb.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169669-86-249297/PaintingFree-to-Race--G18-90.html

Giro, Stage 20: The Fruit of His Labors

Team Sky just had to pay attention today.  Chris Froome's brilliant riding over the past two days have put him into the maglia rosa.   He has 46 seconds on the rider who has been second overall for the entire 101st Giro d'Italia, Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb).  As the peloton started up the Col Tescore, Froome had Salvatore Puccio and Sergio Henao in front and Wout Poels bringing up the rear.  They looked ready for anything Dumoulin would try.  None of the others were close enough to his lead to be much of a worry to the likely holder of all three grand tour titles similtaneously. 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169465-85-249297/PaintingThe-Fruit-of-His-Labors--G18-89.html

Giro, Stage 19: Climbing into Pink

Chris Froome (Team Sky) pulled off an amazing feet today!  To be down almost four minutes on stage 17, and to have attacked solo with 75 kilometers that included two catagorized climbs, all to come alone to the line is stunning.  I truly hope it is a clean ride, it certainly was an exciting one!  Froome is now the Maglia Rosa with a forty second lead over the perpetual second place Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb).  With just one more day in the mountains, and as in the honor of stage racing, just one more day to fight out the general classification, it appears to be Froome's race.  That will make him the first rider in decades to hold the winner's jersey in all three grand tours at once.  Last season he took both the Tour de France and the Veulta d'Espania, and may well now have the next grand tour in succession, the Giro d'Italia.  Or he could blow tomorrow like he did after taking the stage to the top of Monte Zoncolan.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169155-84-249297/PaintingClimbing-into-Pink--G18-88.html

Giro, Stage 19: Getting a Bit of a Gap

While Chris Froome was up the road, now wearing the Virtual Maglia Rosa, Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) wasn't done trying to improve his position on the general classification.  He was able to use his sticcato rhythm climbing technique to open up a gap on Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb), who is more of a methodical time-trialing type of climber.  Pinot had already secured the bottom step of the podium as he climbed to Bardonecchia, perhaps he could gain more time on the Dutchman behind him on the road.  Dumoulin does have over two minutes on the Frenchman, so he would be wise to stay within himself, and hope he can pull back just enough time to pull on the Maglia Rosa.  His second overall is still well in hand with six kilometers left to race to the summit.  Holding on to the wheel of Dumoulin is Richard Carapaz (Movistar) hoping to get enough time to re-take the Maglia Bianca of best young rider. 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169152-82-249297/PaintingGetting-a-Bit-of-a-Gap--G18-87.html

Giro, Stage 19: Losing Time

I admit that I am a little suspect of Chris Froome's (Sky) solo escape to take the Maglia Rosa today.  I can remember when Floyd Landis did much the same way back in the early 2000's in the Tour de France.  He went on to win that race only to have the title stripped due to doping.  I pray that is not why this group of Richard Carapaz (Movistar), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) Segastien Reichenbach (Groupama-FDJ) and Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) couldn't chase down the lone figure of Froome.  Strength in numbers should have played to their favor, that an a desire for Dumoulin to be the one in pink (as he was way back at the start of this Giro).  Others had a little less to ride for, but just barely.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3169150-81-249297/PaintingLosing-Time-G18-86.html

Giro, Stage 19: Maximum Risk

Sometimes you have to go against what is expected to make something happen.  That is what Team Sky and Chris Froome set out to do on the Colle del Finestre.  The team road hard all day, drivng a ferocious pace up the lower slopes of this monumental climb.  When Froome's last teammate rolled off the front, it was time for the four time winner of the Tour de France to go.  Attacking solo at 74 kilometers to race is a huge risk, particularly with another two mountains to climb before this Queen Stage was over.  But as an artist and a former amateur racer, I know that nothing risked most often means nothing gained.  At this point in the climb he isn't quite into the virtual lead yet, but it sure looks like he will be at the end of the stage.  The tifosi are certainly enjoying the show.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3168911-80-249297/PaintingMaximum-Risk--G18-85.html

Giro, Stage 19: Climbing the GC

With the now former holder of the Maglia Rosa struggling further down the mountain, it was time for everyone to see if they would be the next leader of the Giro.  Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) was now the virtual Maglia Rosa as he led both Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and Richard Carapaz (Movistar) up the Colle de Finestre.  Pinot was now in second place on the road since Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain Merida) was another to be bowed by the gravel roads of the Cima Coppi (the highest point in this Giro d'Italia).  I have watched the peloton make this climb in blinding snow storms in the past, so just some snow on the side of the road is a much safer sight.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3168827-79-249297/PaintingClimbing-the-GC--G18-84.html

Giro, Stage 19: The Struggle Is Real

The small cracks that opened in Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) in stage 18 became large fissures on the first truly big climb of the day.  Yates slipped off the back of the peloton on the lower slopes of the Colle del Finestre with another 78 kilometers to the end of the stage.  As all of the other GC contenders road away, he knew his Maglia Rosa was gone and his hopes for a top ten finish along with it.  He was being escorted by his loyal teammates, but right now he couldn't even hold their wheels.  Behind him, Jan Hirt (Astana) was willing to sit on the Brit's wheel and let his teammates up the road know if Yates re-found his legs.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3168816-78-249297/PaintingThe-Struggle-Is-Real--G18-83.html

Giro, Stage 19: Climbing Alone

Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) has been riding an agressive Giro, and today's Queen Stage was no exception.  Sanchez had jumped free of the breakaway on the ascent of the Colle del Finestrie, followed only by the Shimano neutral service vehicle.  Suddenly he sat up, stretched out his back and legs and started soft pedaling.  He apparently had been told to wait for his team leader, Miguel Angel Lopez who was struggling a bit on the early slopes of the Cima Coppi.  Given the way he was riding, he seemed a shame to pull the Spaniard back when the team has yet to win a stage in the 101st Giro d'Italia.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3168812-77-249297/PaintingClimbing-Alone--G18-82.html