Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 4 ITT: On a Fast One

I confess that I am a fan of this American, Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike).  He is having a great year, last year wasn't too shabby either.  This is his second weeklong stage race this year... He won the other one, (Paris-Nice).  He was laying down best times all of the way around the course and went into the hot seat reserved for the rider with the best time at the finish line.  He stayed there until the Time Trial World Champion finished his seventeen-and-a-half-kilometer course.  He ended the day on the third step of the stage's podium.  Chapeau, Matteo!

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. 

"On a Fast One CdD25-19" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Dauphine, Final Stage: Giving It Another Shot

Ben O'Connor (Ag2r-Citroen) had tried several times to escape from the group with the Yellow Jersey (and the rest of the top positions on the general classification).  Undaunted, he went again with just 3 kilometers to the end of the stage, and the race.  This time it worked.  While he wasn't going to be able to catch the three up the road, he was going to be able to move himself up a couple of positions finishing the Dauphine in eighth place.  In the distance you can see Alexey Lutsenko (Astana-Premier Tech), who finished in second, looking back at the Maillot Jaune of Richie Porte (Ineos-Grenadiers), perhaps trying to decide if he should go after O'Connor in hopes of overtaking Porte.  Geraint Thomas, Porte's teammate, simply wasn't going to let that happen.

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

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3816654-128-185083/Painting/giving-it-another-shot-cd21-44.html

Tour, Stage 10: In the Front Group

In Tours past, much has been said about Team Movistar's ability to battle the crosswinds.  And it was oft targets at Nairo Quintana.  Today, the team had two riders in the lead group, both Alejandro Valverde and Quintana.  Sadly, the rest of the team wasn't so attentive.  Wout Poels (Ineos) had been one of the animaters of the split happening but now has dropped to the back of the group to rest from his efforts.  Tony Gallopin (Ag2r La Mondiale) has a turn of his Tour fortunes and was one who held on as the splits opened up.  With just four kilometes left to Albi, it was going to be time gains for the front groups and losses for everyone else.  They may not have won the Tour today, but many lost their chances for victory in Paris.

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.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube.  If you enjoy what you see on the channel, please subscribe.  I need to get over a hundred subscribers so I can name the channel, "Art of Cycling"

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3360188-52-263530/In%20the%20Front%20Group%20%20TDF19-52.html

Tour, Stage 5: Surprises at Every Kilometer

I never know what to expect to happen at any moment during the Tour, neither does the peloton.  I've been watching since the previous century (and reading about it before that) and I have never seen an umbrella blown into the main peloton.  Fortunately for Tony Gallopin (Ag2r La Mondiale) he, nor Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida), went down as a result.  Considering what could have happened, he was happy to just to have been held up for a few seconds as he got himself untangled from the flying debris.  Bob Roll describe it as flying in with everything but Mary Poppins hanging from the bottom.  Kudos, Bobke!

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3358250-22-263530/Surprises%20at%20Every%20Kilometer%20%20TDF19-22.html

Tour Down Under, Final Stage: Down the Shore

I heard this New Jersey expression the other day.  Going down the shore is what I would call going to the beach.  It seemed like the perfect title for this group turning the corner to run along the coast on their way to Snapper Point.  With an almost sure bet that today would be about the climbers, it didn't stop these seven from going on the offensive from the very start of the stage.  The only one with a chance of winning on the day was Danny Van Poppel (Jumbo-Visma).  He is wearing the blue sprinter's points jersey on load from the race leader but if he takes the sprint points on offer he would still need to score points atop Willunga Hill.  Joining the Dutchman are Jasha Sutterlin (Movistar), Nick White (UniSA-Australia), Gediminas Bagdonas (Ag2r La Mondiale) among others.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3286976-139-194179/PaintingDown-the-Shore--TDU19-21.html

Tour Down Under, Stage 4: Quite an Advantage

Today's group of escapees (six strong) built up the biggest advantage yet allowed by the chasing peloton.  With 74 kilometers left to race, these guys had almost five minutes on the true contenders behind.  Three of those in the break include Herman Pernsteiner (Bahrain-Merida), Benoit Cosnefoy (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Miles Scotson (Groupama-FDJ).  Cosnefoy is still covered with bandages up and down his right side from his spectacular crash in the sprint at the end of Stage 2.  Clearly, pro cyclist deal well with pain.  After a similar crash in my early amateur career, I hung up my racing cleats.  I chose instead to focus on my more successful (then beginning) art career.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3286109-130-194179/PaintingQuite-an-Advantage--TDU19-12.html

Tour Down Under, Stage 3: One of Seven

As the title would imply, the early break today was seven riders strong.  One of the surprise members was Elia Viviani (Deceuninck-Quick Step), the former leader of the race and the current points leader, he was hoping to hold onto that jersey and perhaps to retake the lead.  At this point he was the virtual leader.  Along with the Italian were Manuele Boaro (Astana), Nico Denz (Ag2r La Mondiale), Nic Dlamini (Dimension Data), Leo Vincent (Groupama-FDJ), James Whelan (EF Education First), and Nicholas White (UniSA-Australia).  With such a big group with so many different teams represented, it was hard to figure who was going to chase down this break.  But the virtual leader did put a little pressure on Team CCC to give chase.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-Down-Under/3285440-126-194179/PaintingOne-of-Seven--TDU19-8.html

Tour, Final Stage: Still Surviving

This group of six were managing to survive off of the front of the peloton for much longer than expected.  Taylor Phinney (EF Educaton First) got back into the group after his mechanical.  He was being led around the l'Arc de Triomphe by Sylvain Dillier (Ag2r La Mondiale).  The others lining out behind were Stefan Kung (BMC), Guillaume Martin (Wanty Groupe-Gobert), Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin) and Damien Gaudin (Direct Energie).  While it is unlikely that the peloton and the sprinters therein would let them stay away, miracles can happen.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3196317-118-251072/PaintingStill-Surviving--T-18-117.html

Tour, Stage 20: Allez, Allez, Allez!

This is the cheer that greeted the best place French rider in the Tour.  Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) riding on a French team gave the French something to cheer for.  Unfortunately, the time trial isn't his speciality.  Conversely, he was far enough up on his next rival that he didn't have to worry about losing a place on the general classification.  His sixth place was not what he hoped for, but at least he was in the top ten.  The French have done well this year, taking both the Maillot Blanc of best young rider with Pierre Latour (Ag2r La Mondiale) and the Maillot a Pois of King of the Mountains with Julian Alaphilippe (Quick Step), plus they had a total (thus far) of four stage wins.  Not the Maillot Jaune, but a good Tour just the same.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3195934-110-251072/PaintingAllez,-Allez,-Allez!--T18-109.html

Tour, Stage 19: Off the Final Mountain

The very last chance to gain time on one's rivals was on the final descent of the Tour, the Col d'Aubisque.  Primoz Roglic (Lotto NL Jumbo) used the fearlessness that he developed when he was an alpine ski jumper to fly down the back side of the mountain.  Roglic knew that Chris Froome ahd been dropped on the final kilometer of the climb, so if he could just keep the Brit from catching back on, he could take over third in the general classification.  Behind the Slovenian, Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) was using the same circumstances to improve his position ahead of the time trial tomorrow.  Unfortunately for Dumoulin, the Maillot Jaune of Geraint Thomas (Sky) was right on his wheel.  It certainly look like Thomas was going to give up any time, let alone two minutes to the Dutchman.  Bringing up the visual tail of the group (there are more just out of sight) is the aggressor of the stage, Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale).

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3195568-106-251072/PaintingOff-the-Final-Mountain--T18-105.html

Tour, Stage 19: Now or Never

When Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) left the front group, it didn't look like anyone was going to counter his move.  Just a few moments later, Mikel Landa (Movistar) recognized the strength of Bardet's move.  Landa jumped up to the main in brown and blue.  The pair pressed their advantage on the uncatagorized climb before the final mountain of the Tour.  Unfortunately for this duo, the peloton (or at least the yellow jersey group) was closing from behind.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3195528-103-251072/PaintingNow-or-Never--T18-102.html

Tour, Stage 19: Going Again

Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) wasn't going to carry everyone to the finish. So he chose the Col des Borderes to leave his break away companions.  He clearly has designs on getting a fourth stage for the French today, as well as the first for his team and himself.  Bardet looks back over his shoulder to see who could come with him.  Behind it looks like Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Samsic), Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Mikel Landa (Movistar) were late to respond to the Frenchman's attack.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3195502-102-251072/PaintingGoing-Again--T18-101.html

Tour, Stage 19: Sneak Peak

With just one more stage in the mountains, nearly everyone who could was out on the offensive.  Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) wasn't having the Tour he had hoped for.  Quite a few of his teammates went out of the race in the early stages due to crashes and illness.  And then he just didn't have the legs, until today.  As this foursome off the front rides through one of the snow tunnels on the Col du Tourmalet, he peers back over his shoulder to see just how many of his erstwhile breakaway companions they had gotten rid of.  The Zakarin group is being led my Mikel Landa (Movistar), Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale).  All were hoping to be the ones to stay away for a stage victory.  Two of the teams represented have yet to win a stage this year, the others have a tiny bit of pressure eased from their team managers.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3195474-101-251072/PaintingSneak-Peak--T18-100.html

Tour, Stage 17: Status Quo?

Yes, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) are up the road, but the top positions on the general classification seemed to be holding each other's wheels.  There isn't much change happening despite the pre-stage billing for fireworks on this final climb.  Right now, Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) is on the back of the select group being led by Egan Bernal (Sky), with the maillot jaune of Geraint Thomas (Sky) on his wheel.  Next in line is Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) and then it is Mikel Nieve (Movistar) and, oddly, Chris Froome (Sky) is hanging around the back.  Somewhere, but not in this painting, are two riders from Lotto NL Jumbo.  Just after I finished this painting, Bardet lost the wheel of Froome and slipped back down the mountain, and the GC.  I should point out the Orca on the back of Sky's jerseys.  They are supporting Ocean Rescue and drawing attention to the plastic pollution of our oceans. 

The fans on the side of the road do seem to be getting out of the way.  No one wants to take another big man of the Tour out of the race.  It is funny to see the one fan with the "Sagan" sign.  This isn't exactly the kind of terrain where the world champion shines.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3193965-93-251072/PaintingStatus-Quo?--T18-92.html

Tour, Stage 15: Double Checking

Unlike yesterday, no one challenged Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) for the sprint points today.  It may have something to do with the experience level of those on the Maillot Vert's wheel.  Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) has ridden many Tours and is the defending Olympic Road Race champion.  Behind him, Mathias Frank (Ag2r La Mondiale) has spent years in the pro peloton, along with being a former road racing champion of Switzerland.  These guys knew why Sagan was in the early break, what his objectives are, and how very little they had to gain by challenging him.  Sagan, on the other hand, was just double checking to make sure no one was going to try and jump him to the line in Mazamet.  All Sagan has to do is finish the Tour (no small feat with the Pyrennes looming this coming week) and the Maillot Vert will be his in Paris.  But, instead, he is going in the breaks and collecting as many sprint points as he can in every stage.  He is closing in on breaking the highest point title in any Tours de France, a record he holds.

You can watch this painting come to life as I talk about what is happening in the image and the Tour up to this point.  You can see one painting from every stage come to life on my You Tube channel (were I hope you will become a subscriber).  And you may learn some things about watercolor painting, creating art, and cycling in the bargain.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3192218-79-251072/PaintingDouble-Checking--T18-78.html

Tour, Stage 12: Lining Up for a Sprint

The finale of the 12th stage atop Alpe d'Huez was a bit uncommon.  Normally, it is a sole rider that comes to the summit with a big gap on all of his competitors.  Today that should have been Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL Jumbo) but he was caught by the big boys on GC with about 3 kilometers left to race.  At one point the foursome of Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb), Geraint Thomas & Chris Froome (Sky) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) were riding four abreast, waiting to see who would go first.  It was Bardet.  While these four were shadow boxing, Mikel Landa (Movistar), rejoined and two more riders were fast closing in.  It was looking like it was going to be a bunch sprint on a mountain top finish.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3190140-68-251072/PaintingLining-Up-for-a-Sprint--T18-67.html

Tour, Stage 12: Cheers, Boos & Mayhem

The 21 corners of the climb up Alpe d'Huez are claimed by different nationalities.  As Romain Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) rode through the wild crowds of the Dutch Corner, the fans cheered, jeered and set of flares in a mainly drunken frenzy.  They were all the more excited because it was a Dutchman, Steven Kruijswik (Lotto NL Jumbo) who was leading up the climb.  They, unfortunately released a torrent of jeers and boos when Chris Froome (Sky) came through the crowd.  Many are not satisfied with the results of his abnormal tests from the Veulta.  Even worse, it appears that a fan knocked Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) off his bike on the climb.  He wasn't hurt, but it did ruin his chances for the stage win.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3190124-67-251072/PaintingCheers,-Boos-&-Mayhem--T18-66.html

Tour, Stage 6: The Strength of the Irish

Clearly I am paraphrasing here.  The old saying is "the luck of the Irish," but luck had very little to do with Dan Martin's (UAE Team Emirates) stage victory atop the Mur de Bretagne.  The last time the Tour came here, he was just beaten out by a rider from Ag2r La Mondiale.  Today he wasn't going to let anyone come around him, even as another Ag2r rider, Pierre Latour, was trying to catch the Irishman's wheel.  Behind, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) took third on the day and a one second time bonus over the other main contenders finishing in the group behind.  The day had little effect on the GC with the small exception of Dumoulin dropping a few places out of the top ten.  There is still fifteen stages of racing to get to Paris.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3186872-31-251072/PaintingThe-Strength-of-the-Irish--T18-31.html

Tour, Stage 4: I've Got This

Tony Gallopin (Ag2r La Mondiale) may have gone down in on of the silly crashes with about 50 kilometers left to race.  When he stopped with a rear flat, he wisely pulled his own back wheel out to help his mechanic make the wheel change that much faster.  As the mechanic got to work, Gallopin took the opportunity to massage his sore right hip, upper quad and buttock.  It is truly all about saving energy, seconds and self management.  After his mechanic got him up and rolling, the team car seemed to forget that they had forgotten to let him back into the car.  You can see the car start to pull out with the door still open and then realize all of the passengers weren't there.  Or it could have been that old joke of moving the car everytime the victim tries to get in, but I doubt it.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3185661-18-251072/PaintingI've-Got-This--T18-18.html

Giro, Stage 15: Choosing His Line

Nico Denz (Ag2r La Mondiale) gave a text book demsonstration of how to descend a mountain today.  His drop off of the Passo di Sant'Antoino opened up a sizable gap on his erstwhile break away companions.  However his speed down the mountain left him alone as he crossed the valley floot.  There was a great helicopter shot of the descent where you could see him about six turns ahead of the peloton as they all snaked their way down the mountain.  They may have been quite close together by the way the crow flies, but they were almost two minutes apart on the road.

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.

Apparently, my website has decided not to let me load images today.  If you are interested in this painting, please email me at greigsart@gmail.com.  All payments can be routed through PayPal for your security, and mine.