Giro, Stage 14: Rough Roads

The base of the final climb of the day (actually, the only climb of the day) twisted through narrow cobblestone roads before beginning the ascent.  With so many riders wanting to be on the front of the peloton for the climb, it just got to be too many bikes, too little road, and slippery cobbles for Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal).  Fortunately, Dmitrii Kozonchok (Gazprom-Rusvelo) and the rest of the peloton was able to avoid the sprawled Australian.  However, the tumbel took the Hansen out of contention for the climb.  Lotto Soudal had pinned their hopes on him since their sprinter, Andre Greipel pulled out of the Giro given that there are no more stages for the sprinters.

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

With the racing of the 100th Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in helping this book get made, please consider backing the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included. With Kickstarter, if there is not a 100% funded, no one is charged a dime, and the project recieves 0% funding.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2970194-88-235247/PaintingRough-Roads-G17-96.html

Tour Down Under Final Stage I've Got You!

Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) had first gone on the attack way too early  He was caught by the peloton before the first intermediate sprint and I feared his bid to claim the King of the Mountains' Polka Dot Jersey were dashed  Instead as the pack approached the Montefiore Hill for the tenth time he pops out being lead by his teammate Adam Hansen  The duo broke clear and De Gendt was able to claim three KOM points thus securing the Polka Dot Jersey as his own for the 2017 Tour Down Under (assuming he is able to finish the stage)

I apologize the punctuation gremlins have return to my computer leaving me with not periods commas or colons unless I use the follow cut and paste section

This is a small watercolors and ink painting measuring just 4"x6" and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my Olympics artwork will be available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2908833-130-194179/PaintingI've%20Got%20You!%20TDU17-32.html#.WIUpv_krLIU

Tour Down Under: Going It Alone

Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under feature a bit more climbing than the opening stage with the only KOM climb coming right out of the gate (again).  The climb proved too much for the sprinter, Rafael Valls Ferri (Lotto Soudal) as he was the first to withdrawal from the race.  His teammate, Adam Hansen, went off on his own in a solo effort to claim a stage for the Belgium team (Hansen is an Australian, however).  The Aussie held off the peloton for almost 80 kilometers before being reeled back in on the final circuit.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using watercolors from www.richesonart.com and is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  In addition, be sure to check out my new book, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships" available now at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2674729-68-194179/Painting.html#.Vp_MlfkrLIU

Tour de France, Stage 16: Given a Head Start

Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal) and then Marco Haller (Katusha) sporting his new Champion of Austria kit, managed to use their power to escape the rest of the climber oriented breakaway across the valley floor between the Col de Cabre and the Col de Manse.  The duo slid under the 20 kilometers to go banner at the base of the final climb of the day with fifty seconds over the chasing group containing Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo) amid other strong climbers.  With only less than a minute, it was unlikely that the two could stay away against the mountain goats of the Tour, but they had to give it a go.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company, www.richesnonart.com.  They are a small family run art supply company located in the North Central United States.  In addition this painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Remember it is an original painting, so when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2582760-102-210122/Painting.html#.Va2uMvlViko

Giro Stage 3: Looking for the Peloton

Pavel Kochetkov (Katusha) was caught on the descent off of the Barbagelata by Simon Clarke (Orica GreenEdge), Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal) and Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi).  The foursome could feel the charging peloton as they approached the 5 K to go banner.  Paterski took the opportunity to look back as he swung off the front of the group.  Hansen was hoping to mark his birthday by giving himself a stage victory in the Giro d'Italia.  The peloton didn't seem to be in a generous mood as it hunted down the escapees.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available for purchase through my artists website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 98th Giro d'Italia.  International shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2553048---184157/Painting.html#.VVGKmiHBzGc

Tour Stage 1: Is Everyone Here?

With the five kilometer to go banner in site, Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) looks over his shoulder to make sure his sprinter, Andre Greipel was still on the back of the train.  As the peloton rolls in towards the finish of the flatter stages, the sprinters will use their teams to wind up the pace to make it difficult for anyone to get away, ruining their chance for a coveted stage victory.  For stage one of the 101st Tour de France, whoever crossed the line first would also pull on the Maillot Jaune of the overall race leader.  This is a prize that rarely falls to a sprinter for a variety of reasons, mainly that they go very fast but not when the road goes up a mountain.  This is an small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  In addition it will be included in my self published "Book de Tour" a collection of my paintings and writings on this 2014 Tour de France.  To learn more about the project, to participate in bringing it to life and to pre-order your copy, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2396592---199992/Painting.html#.U7hgH8_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Running with the Leaders

Professional cycling is about the only professional sporting event that is open to the public, free.  Fans lined the thousands of kilometers along the open roads of Italy cheering on their favorites and the unknowns alike.  The Italian flag waving tifosi is cheering on Andre Fernando Cardoso (Garmin Sharp) and Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) neither of home are Italian or even on an Italian team.  While most are contend to cheer from a safe distance, other feel the need to run along side as the riders use every ounce of strength they have to climb some of the steepest roads in Europe.  Often they can endangers the cyclists or hamper their efforts to win the race, or survive the climb.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4 inches by 6 inches that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2369726---198213/Painting.html#.U4K6qs_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 15: Attacking the Climb

The break away was the first to hit the final (and only) climb and Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol) was the first to jump away from his companions and start the assault of the Montecampione.  The lower slopes were filled with aggressive moves, but nothing like what was to come from hopefuls and GC contenders alike.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  The painting is 4"x6" and sells for $50 USD.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2369722---198213/Painting.html#.U4K28s_D_IU

Tour Down Under: Shepparding Cadel, Stage 3

Those who don't understand the ins and outs of bike racing do realize how much of a team sport it actually is.  BMC showed that they had a plan and the team to make it work today.  They were able to put rider after rider on the front to push the pace and rid rider after rider from the contention.  Here it is the Swiss rider, Moribito, bending himself inside out for his team leader, Cadel Evans as they storm up Corkscrew Hill.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website, www.greigleach.com   Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not look around at all of the cycling art on offer.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2297201---194179/Painting.html#.UuHd_88o7IU

Tour Down Under: Attacking the Climb, Stage One

After all of the positioning, attacks and three hours of racing the peloton had sucked up the breakaway and hit the only climb of the day, Menglars Hill.  With first Garmin and then Sky trying to set it up for their man, it was Adam Hansen of Team Lotto that jumped from the reduced peloton to grab the KOM points (and the jersey) of the Tour Down Under.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist web site at www.greigleach.com or just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2295931---194179/Painting.html#.UuAURM8o7IU

Tour Stage Sixteen: The Big Break

Today's stage was wedged between the second rest day and the last time trial before Paris, so it was deemed to be a day for the break.  All of the GC men are going to want to save as much energy as they can get away with, so once the break didn't have anybody in the top 20, they were off up the road.  This break had 26 riders at the last valley before Gap and by that time is was twelve minutes.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolor, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com   Believe me, the quality of the supplies does effect the quality of the work.  Also, this work, and all of the works in this series, are available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182971---186227/Painting.html#.Ue7Yf8_D_IU

Giro Day Nine: Why Did We Let Him Go?

The original break away of the day let Maxim Belkov go on the second to last climb of the day, maybe thinking that he was just going for mountain jersey points and then would be back amongst them.  Instead he pressed on eventually gaining four minutes on this chase group who were keeping about three minutes on the Maglia Rosa Group (the biggest grouping of cyclist on the road that included the current race leader, Vincente Nibali).  The archway in the distance is the 30 kilometer to go banner that they have just passed through.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and can be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2150031---184157/Painting.html#.UZwwm8_D_IU

Giro Day Seven: Alone in the Rain

Adam Hansen by this point is the sole survivor of the days break away, and unlike most breaks, he went on to win the stage.  His last companion crashed out on the previous descent and Hansen waited for him to catch back on to his wheel.  But Selle struggled on the next climb and then crashed again on that descent so Hansen went on to a solo win of stage 7, the day before his birthday.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and like all of the work in this series was created with cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com   Also, this painting and the others are available on my artist website, just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2149261---184157/Painting.html#.UZo9iMvD_IU

Giro Day Seven: Incredibly Steep

The title of this painting says it all.  I don't think I have ever seen such a steep section of road way.  These two riders are what remains of the original break away on the day, the others just couldn't hang with these two on this climb.  This is Adam Hansen for Team Lotto and Emanuele Selle riding for Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela continuing on with the hope against hope of staying away from the peleton.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for sale on my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2149253---184157/Painting.html#.UZo7ScvD_IU

Giro Stage Seven: The Break Starts Up

Another day and another break away goes up the road.  In this case the road is going up as well.  Unlike the flat stage 6, a mountainous stage gives the small groups a better chance over the power and speed of the peleton.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that like all of the works in this series was created using Richeson Art's cake watercolors, brushes, and papers. (www.richesonart.com )  And this painting is available for purchase through my artist website, just follow the link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2149247---184157/Painting.html#.UZo5e8vD_IU