Yorkshire 2019 - Mixed Relay: Finishing What the Men Started

As the Dutch women rolled down the start ramp, they knew that they had been handed a strong lead over the rest of the field by their countrymen.  Should they be lucky and as strong as they knew they could be, the first Gold Medal in the Mixed Relay of the UCI Road World Championships would be theirs.  Lucinda Brand and Riejanne Markus crossed the line together having added to the advantage that they had been given.  Amy Pieters was just a few seconds off the back of the Dutch duo, but her time wasn't the one that mattered.  The three started their celebrations in the scrum of the press cameras before being joined by the men of the team.  This was a great new addition to the Worlds race week, perhaps even more enjoyable than the Team Time Trial it replaced.

I will be painting most every event from Yorkshire, but my schedule will not allow me to paint them 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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire-2019/3392825-9-266225/PaintingFinishing-What-the-Men-Started--UCI19-9.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Women's Road Race: A Tenacious Trio

With 54 kilometers left to race, it was time for some to start the agression.  This threesome would end up representing the three most aggressive teams out on course today.  Leading the trio was Hannah Barnes (Great Britain), Amy Pieters (Netherlands) who had started this move, and Rachel Neylan (Australia).  They were proving difficult to pull back into the peloton as they headed towards the re-named Salmon Hill.  Just in case there was any doubt who was organizing these World Championships, the UCI had banners all along the road way as a visual reminder.  Whoever wins the race will pull on a white jersey with the same rainbow stripes of blue, red, black, yellow and green.

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/Bergen-2017-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3037320-41-239826/PaintingA-Tenacious-Trio--Bergen-41.html

Doha 2016, Elite Women's Road Race: In Complete Control

With just five kilometers left until the new Women's World Champion would be decided the Dutch team switch from solo sorties to putting the whole team on the front of the peloton.  The entire team was clearly riding for the last orange jersey in the train, Kristen Wild.  The balance of the roster included, Annemiek Van Vleutin, Amy Pieters, Chantal Blaak, Roxanne Knetemann, Anna Van Der Breggen, Ellen Van Dijk and Marianne Vos.  This was a strong group of women who meant business!  Just popping into sight behind the Dutch Armada are a few members of the French team, looking to take over should the Dutch fail to hold off all of the others.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865865-55-227958/PaintingIn%20Complete%20Control%20Doha%2055-Greig-Leach.html#.WAKN5eArLIU

Doha 2016, Elite Women's Road Race: On the Bell Lap

The next to go was Dani King (Great Britain).  She was wise enough to wait until the bell lap, before trying to escape the clutches of the peloton and the Dutch team.  It was Amy Pieters (Netherlands) and Emma Johansson (Sweden) who responded first to the Brit's attack.  The trio got a bit of a gap, but there was too much at stake for any team to let a solo break (or even this small one) succeed.  The other thing that has struck me about Doha and The Pearl, is the seemingly unending amount of ongoing construction.  Even here you can see two large scale apartment buildings rising from the artificial island in the sea.  I wonder where all of the inhabitants came from considering there was barely anything twenty years ago.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865857-54-227958/PaintingOn%20the%20Bell%20Lap%20Doha54-Greig-Leach.html#.WAKLPOArLIU

Doha 2016, Elite Women's Road Race: Applying Some Pressure

With the early breaks tucked safely back into the peloton, it was now time for some race tactics.  The Dutch team has a great sprinter, but they seemed to feel that if they made the race hard, they could eliminate some of the competition before they got to the line.  So it was that they would send rider after rider to the front to try and establish an escape.  When Amy Pieters (Netherlands) turn came, her move was covered by Emma Johansson (Sweden) and a rider from the Spanish team.  None of the teams were willing to let anyone else get away.  All of the expectations since the location and course were announced for the 2016 Worlds, the races would all come down to a bunch sprint.  With that in mind, everybody brought at least one pure sprinter to go for the victory.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865765-50-227958/PaintingApplying%20Some%20Pressure%20Doha50-Greig-Leach.html#.WAJwn-ArLIU

La Course: What's Left?

Laura Stephens (Tibco Silicon Valley) looked into the eyes of Lucinda Brand (Rabo Liv) trying to determine if she had anything left.  The two were joined in the next break by Amy Pieters (Wiggle High 5).  With just eight kilometers left to go, they were in with a real chance.  In less than a kilometer they would hear the welcome sound of  the bell signifying one lap to go.  As the race has gone on the crowds have grown by leaps and bounds.

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.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  While you are on the site, be sure to check out my other works of art and my two cycling books.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Bear in mind that this is a one of a kind original and once it is gone, it is gone.

Be sure to check out my second cycling art book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships, available online or through your local book seller.

To buy this painting, just follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional%20Womens%20Cycling/2828543-20-207546/PaintingWhat's%20Left?%20LC5-Greig-Leach.html#.V5W4K7grLIU

La Course: Slipping Off the Front

The morning that the Tour de France was to come into Paris to finish on the Champs Elysees, the organizer mounted the first ever Women's Road Cycling event on the fabled cobbles.  La Course brought the best professional women to race 11 laps around the same finishing circuit that would end the 101st Tour de France, the men would only make 8 laps of the circuit.  While TV coverage of the event was not on par with the men's racing, the racing was every bit as fast and as exciting.  This is the French National Road Champion, Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Rabobank) in the break along the gutter of the boulevard with Amy Pieters (Giant Shimano).  Just like the men later in the day, there were a number of break away attempts each chased down by the teams of the sprinters.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The work, and the race, will be included in my soon to be self published art of cycling book, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to become part of bringing the book to print, please visit  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  I do hope you will consider becoming a backer of Book de Tour as well.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2409560-172-168-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U9cPK8vD_IU