Tour, Stage 19: I've Got This

Astana definitely went out of the neutral section of the 19th stage with a plan in mind.  First they made sure that they got one of their men into the break away.  Next on the climb up the Col de la Forclaz Queige, they put the rest of the team on the front of the already reduced peloton.  The entire team was riding in hopes of moving their leader, Fabio Aru up the leader board.  Andriy Grivko was laying down a hard pace trying to put the hurt on those behind them, but ahead of Aru on the General Classification.  His pace was so intense that Diego Rosa came up along side and gave him the "slow it down" gesture.  Grivko reached over, but his hand on the Italian's back and seemed to say, "I got this.  I'll do my job you do yours."  As Grivko pushed on, Rosa gave him the Italian equivalent of  the finger.  But the team stayed on the Ukrainian's wheel.  With just today and tomorrow to race prior to arriving in Paris, it was now or never to shoot for the podium.

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, follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2827753-136-224974/PaintingI've%20Got%20This%20TdF137-Greig-Leach.html#.V5KsCrgrLIU

Tour, Stage 5: Is He Gone?

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) had been claiming first and second (in the opposite order) over each of the climbs.  They were clearly stronger on the day than the now dropped, Andriy Grivko (Astana).  Van Avermaet looks back over his shoulder, confirming that answer to the question, "Is he gone?"  All along the course, fans are using cameras, phones and tablets at arm's length capturing their heroes of cycling toiling pass.  I prefer to use my paint brush.

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.

To buy this painting, follow this link:  http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2819866-29-224974/PaintingIs%20He%20Gone?%20TdF30-Greig-Leach.html#.V32Hl7grLIU

Tour, Stage 5: Three Names

Frustrated with the pace and cooperation going on in the early nine man break, these three, Andriy Grivko (Astana), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) jumped away from their erstwhile fellow escapees.  This trio quickly opened up a gap on their former compatriots, but more importantly they quickly added another three minutes to their lead over the peloton.  It was a little odd that the race favorites let these strong riders build such a big lead. The gap grew to over fifteen minutes before those behind decided that enough was enough.

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, follow this link:  http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2819854-27-224974/PaintingThree%20Names%20TdF27-Greig-Leach.html#.V32Bx7grLIU

Dauphine, Stage 5: The Flat Before the Climb

While the race had already been over six categorized climbs, it was still the flat piece of road before the final climb of the day.  At least once they summit the next climb, they will have almost twenty hours before they will have to ride up another mountain.  This was the last of those that had formed the early break of over twenty riders, this quintet was comprised of Cyril Gautier (Ag2r La Mondiale), Dayer Quintana (Movistar), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18) and Enrico Gesparotto (Wanty-Groupe Gobert).  At this point they still had roughly two minutes on those behind, but the 15 kilometers of climbing to come could eat that time up rather quickly.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2806603-64-185083/Painting.html#.V1uxNvkrLIU

Tour de France, Final Stage: Prying Free

With Andriy Grivko's (Astana) first break away companion back into the peloton, he was joined by Jose Serpa (Lampre Merida) and Danilo Wyss (BMC).  With his cycling cap up under his helmet and his hipster mustache and goatee, Serpa almost looks like one of the riders who would have taken to the line at the very first Tour de France way back in 1903.  Of course, his bike is very, very modern.

This is an original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware, since this is an original work of art, once it has sold, it is gone.  I would recommend not delaying.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2586323-146-210122/Painting.html#.VbW_KflVikp

Tour de France, Final Stage: Opening Up the Race

Either the toughness of the Tour up to today, or the rain soaked cobbles of the Champs Elysees had kept the race together and rather sedate.  Finally, it was Andriy Grivko (Astana) who opened up the first attack.  He was quickly joined by the youngest man still in the race, Louis Meintjes (MTN-Qhubeka).  The pair got the peloton to start racing, unfortunately, that meant that the rest of the race were quickly on to the back wheels of the pair.

This is an original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting, along with all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Be aware, since this is an original work of art, once it has sold, it is gone.  I would recommend not delaying.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2586323-146-210122/Painting.html#.VbW9PPlViko

Tour de France Stage 11 I Can't Go W\with You

With the early break almost four minutes up the road, Dan Martin (Cannondale Garmin) jumped out of the peloton in search of the men up the road.  He was joined by Andriy Grivko (Astana) but as the pair where about half way up the Col d'Aspin, Grivko seemed to be losing steam.  As Martin flicked his elbow, a sign for the rider behind to come around and take a pull, Grivko stayed where he was.  After a few more elbow flicks, Martin turned around and Grivko gave him the hands to the neck symbol, I am done for.  Martin thin jumped on the pedals leaving the Astana rider to be picked up by the peloton, as he went on in search of the top of the climb.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for just $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, this is a one of a kind original, so once it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2580858---210122/Painting.html#.VaauwPlViko

Liege Bastogne Liege: A Little Dig

Astana came to the race with a purpose in mind.  Not that every team doesn't want to win the race, Astana brought a very powerful team ready to work for last year's winner of the Tour de France, Vincenzo Nibali.  One way to take pressure off of the rest of the team is to put at least one man into the breakaway.  That way, the team is not expected to help chase down the break thus allowing the breakaway rider's teammates to hide out of the wind, while other teams do the hard work of chasing down the break.  Once the peloton had almost caught the early morning break, it was Andriy Grivko who jumped out of the Astana led peloton to work for his fellow turquoise clad compatriots.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2546706---195767/Painting.html#.VT4hhiHBzGc

Dauphine Stage 4: Along the Valley Road

Stage four featured the largest break away group thus far in the Dauphine.  After several different groups attempted to get away (all were pulled back because they were too high up on the GC) this group established itself with a maximum of almost four minutes on the peloton and the Yellow Jersey.  Some of those represented included the best placed on GC, Yury Trofimov (Katusha) along with Christian Meier (Orica GreenEdge), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) and Jan Bakelants (OPQS).  Once the group hit the road into Gap ahead of the final climb up the Col du Manse, the peloton ramped up its speed in order to position the favorites for the coming ascent.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the Jack Richeson Company, www.richesonart.com  Also this work is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2387294---199476/Painting.html#.U6I-HM_D_IU

Tour Down Under: Can I Get a Drink?, Stage 3

With temperatures in the nineties it is important for the riders to keep their fluids high, without it they risk cramps, bonking and losing the ability to recover before racing the next day.  While the riders have two way radios to keep in touch with their Director Sportif, it is still tradition for the racer to raise his arm to call the team car forward.  The break as already dropped Jerome Cousin, who coming from winter in Europe, had not acclimated to the heat of the Australian summer.  So now the break is down to Grivko (Astana), Voight (Trek) and Meyer (Drapac).  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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2297191---194179/Painting.html#.UuHbT88o7IU

Tour Down Under: Rolling Along, Stage 3

With a steep climb of Corkscrew Hill facing the peloton at the end of a longer day in the saddle, it took some strong riders to hope to stay away to the finish.  The big guy at the back is one of the strongest, Jens Voight (Trek) along with the Astana rider, Andriy Grivko.  They were joined (actually they joined) Travis Meyer (Drapac) who got the break started and Jerome Cousin (Europcar), but it was the two veterans that weren't caught until the wind up to the final climb.  The peloton and the breaks are escorted by their team cars (complete with spare bikes and wheels) and a race referee.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolors from www.richesonart.com   In addition it can be yours by visiting my artist website, www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2297147---194179/Painting.html#.UuHXtM8o7IU