Binche-Chimay-Binche: Opening Up the Sprint

It was Arnaud Demare (FDJ) who opened up the sprint for the line.  Demare jumped from the back of the leading foursome of himself, Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-Quickstep), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal).  Demare's move came early catching the others by surprise.  Only Stybar was able to catch the Frenchman's wheel and the pair sprinted to the line across the cobble stones, dropping the other two.  Try as he might, Stybar was unable to get around Demare and had to watch as the French sprinter raised his arm in victory.

Demare is in great form ahead of the UCI Road World Championships next week in Doha, Qatar.  I wonder if we will see a Frenchman wearing the Rainbow Jersey for the 2017 cycling season.

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/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2861584-37-206768/PaintingOpening%20Up%20the%20Sprint%20BCB5-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UlJPArLIU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: Turning the Corner

Once his teammate Vegard Stake Laengen (IAM Cycling) was finally back in the peloton, it was Dries Devenyns who went off the front pulling Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL Jumbo) along.  The pair opened up a bit of a gap, but there were too many sprinters with designs for the win.  Add to that, FDJ had been covering every move of the day in opens of delivering their sprinter, Arnaud Demare, to the line.

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.

This painting is sold!

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2861581-36-206768/PaintingTurning%20the%20Corner%20BCB4-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UiGfArLIU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: Making Their Escape

With the leaders on the road just over a minute up the road, it was time for the opportunist to jump free of the peloton.  This trio lead off by Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis) managed to open a small gap.  Behind another foursome was hoping they could bridge across to Van Bilsen, Floris Gerts (BMC) who is tucked in behind the Cofidis rider and the man from Veranda's Willems.  Sorry I was unable to discover who he was, they got reeled back in before I could catch sight of his bib number.

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/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2861579-35-206768/PaintingMaking%20Their%20Escape%20CBC3-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UfC_ArLIU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: The Work at Hand

The job of chasing down the escapees feel to three teams, BMC, FDJ, and Etixx-Quickstep.  At this point, Taylor Eisenhart (BMC) was on the front pulling Daniel Hoelgaard (FDJ), Iljo Keisse (Etixx-Quickstep) and the entire peloton back up to the leaders.  By now the gap had dropped to just over three minutes and there was still 40 kilometers to race.  At this rate, the two man breakaway should be reeled in with about ten kilometers from the line.

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/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2861574-34-206768/PaintingThe%20Work%20at%20Hand%20BCB2-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UckvArLIU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: Way Off the Front

It was the duo of Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) and Vegard Stake Laengen (IAM Cycling) who got way off the front of the peloton.  The two built up over five minutes on the FDJ lead peloton on the narrow roads of Belgium.  The two may not have had much hope in holding of the peloton, but neither did they want to ride the race in complete anonymity either.

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/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2861528-33-206768/PaintingWay%20Off%20the%20Front%20CBC1-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UHhfArLIU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: He Slipped Away

Omega Pharma Quick-Step had played their cards, or should I say riders, to perfection.  All day it was Thomas De Gendt out ahead of the group.  Then it was Niki Terpstra who left the peloton to join his teammate at the business end of the race.  Finally as the break went under the kilometer, it was the third man of the triumphant, Zdenek Stybar, the National Road Racing Champion of the Czech Republic, who nipped off the front.  Around the corner it was Styby who raised his arms in victory.  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.  International shipping is available, and the painting is only $50 USD.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2449128---195767/Painting.html#.VDYVgs_D_IU 

Binche-Chimay-Binche: What's Left of the Peloton

With just 18 kilometers left to race the peloton vacillated between riding hard and looking around.  The end of the season long, wet race in the strong crosswinds left a very small peloton trying to figure out if they had the legs to chase down the break.  Strung out behind the diminished peloton is the ever present convoy of race officials, team cars, medics and then far, far behind, the broom wagon.  This is a small 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%202014/2449124---195767/Painting.html#.VDYM-s_D_IU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: All Lined Up

I am beginning to wonder if the peloton can only come to Belgium if it is cold, wet and miserable.  With the open fields and strong winds it was a day for echelons and arm warmers.  The winds broke the race into smaller and smaller groups along the wet roads.  The reduced peloton has gone after the second group up the road lead by Cofidis and BMC Pro Cycling.  Tucked in behind them were a couple of the smaller Continental Pro Teams.  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.  While you are there why not take the time to browse all of the artwork on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2449112---195767/Painting.html#.VDYI2M_D_IU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: On Home Soil

With the breakaway falling apart, but still up the road, the Belguim National Road Racing Champion, Jens Debusschere (Lotto Belisol) and his compatriot Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), set off in search of the tete de la course.  Don't be too alarmed by Debusschere's odd shaped back.  He has simply stuffed his rain cape into the top of his jersey now that the sun has finally decided to shine.  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.  While you are there why not take the time to check out all of the cycling art on offer?  Also be sure to take the opportunity to pre-order my soon to be released, "Book de Tour" here;
http://www.dementimilestonepublishing.com/#!book-de-tour/c1nth.  It is a complete retelling of the 101st Tour de France through my annotated original watercolor and ink paintings, all painted as the race was unfolding in all of its unpredictable glory.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2449110---195767/Painting.html#.VDYC58_D_IU

Binche-Chimay-Binche: Slipping Off the Front

With the UCI World Road Racing Championships done and dusted, the season is just about over.  Just a few more of the classics left to contest.  Today it was back to Belgium for a dash from Binche to Chimay and back again.  The racing was on with a fairly large group getting up the road.  As I have written before, large breakaways tend not to work well together, and today was no exception.  So it was that Thomas De Gendt (Omega Pharma Quick-Step) slipped off the front of his cadre of compatriots including, N. Arndt (Giant Shimano), J. Bol (Belkin), Kevin Reza (Europcar), and H. Houle (Ag2r).  Omega Pharma Quick-Step had come to win and had the riders and the strategy to make it happen.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  The painting 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.  While you are there, why not take the time to look around and all of the cycling art on offer, including my soon to be released, "Book de Tour."  You can learn more and pre-order your own copy at http://www.dementimilestonepublishing.com/#!book-de-tour/c1nth

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2449108-120-114-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.VDX-Y8_D_IU