Gent-Wevelgem 23, Women's Race: Can They Catch Her?

It would seem that a group of seven should be able to chase down a single escapee in the final 30 kilometers, but instead partially due to the leader's teammate, Christine Majerus (SD Worx) the gap just kept growing.  These seven including Majerus and Shirin Van Anrooij (Trek-Segafredo), Elinor Barker (Uno-X), Eugenia Bujak (UAE Team ADQ), Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM), Shari Bossuyt (Canyon SRAM) and Anna Hendersen (Jumbo-Visma) seemed unable to close the widening gap.  If they aren't careful, they will find that the rest of the peloton will be able to catch them instead.  If they do, then these women will have even less of a chance of getting onto the podium in Wevelgem.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.  

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3942738-65-207546/Painting/can-they-catch-her-gw23-11.html

 

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 6: Exploiting a Descent

Both Christine Majerus (SD Worx) and Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) use the descent of top of an uncategorized climb to distance the remnants of the early break.  Majerus looks back at Henderson from her aero tuck, just checking to see if Anna had the nerve to fly down the descent.  She shouldn't have worried, the Jumbo-Visma rider came to cycling from downhill skiing, she loves to go down hills fast.  While Majerus' position looks odd, it is safer than the now banned super-tuck.  However this one does kind of put one's butt up in the air.  I am just thinking now that it reminds me of a cat that is very happy with being petted.  Regardless, it does make her far more aerodynamic than Henderson's position on the bike.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3896223-177-294403/Painting/exploiting-a-descent-tdff22-36.html

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 6: Slipping Away

With the break away basically back together the next obstacle facing the group of now 13 riders was the intermediate sprint.  They had managed to keep the peloton at bay, so it was their opportunity to gain some sprint points, not that any of them had a chance of catching up to Lorena Weibes in her Maillot Vert, or Marianne Vos, who is in the Maillot Jaune and in second in the competition for the title of best sprinter.  Nevertheless, Tamara Dronova-Balabolina (Roladn Cogeas Edelwiess Squad) slipped away from the others to get the sprint price (yes there is some cash on offer).  Behind her Christine Majerus (SD Worx) in her Luxembourg Champion's jersey, Jesse Vandenbulcke (Le Col-Wahoo), Joscelin Lowden (Uno-X) and Silke Smulders (Liv Racing Xstra) just kept rolling along.  They knew what she was after and didn't want to spend the energy to contest the sprint.  With 45 kilometers left to race and only a minute and a half on the peloton, they had quite a lot of work to do if they wanted to contest for stage honors.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3896221-176-294403/Painting/slipping-away-tdff22-35.html

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 1: You Okay?

 Alana Castique (Cofidis Women) crossed her front wheel with Christin Majerus (SD Worx) and they both went down on the cobbles of the Champs Elysees.  Majerus jumped up angry and said something to Castique as she got ready to ride off.  Then she realized that the other was hurt.  She reached down to check on her, I'm guessing she offered a word of care.  She may have an extra level of concern.  She is wearing a special jersey designed by her teammate Amy Pieters who is facing a long hard recovery from a training accident.  Sadly, this is the end of Castrique's Tour before it really even got started.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895582-139-294403/Painting/you-okay-tdff22-5.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: First to Reach the Final Climb

Both Christine Majerus (SD Worx) and Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) had team leaders in the group behind, but that wasn't stopping them from riding on their own behalf off the front.  At the base of the final climb, the Paterburg, they had a bit of a lead on those chasing behind.  The question is; should they be caught will they have the legs to help out their teammates to win the race.  If they aren't caught, who will have the legs to win the day?

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes 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/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877200-45-207546/Painting/first-to-the-final-climb-rvv22-12.html

Gent-Wevelgem Women '22: Picking Her Pocket

I doubt Christine Majerus (SD Worx) was actually picking the pocket of her teammate Chantal Van Der Broeck-Blaak, but that is what it looked like.  I think actually there was something flapping in the wind that hadn't gotten stuffed all of the way down.  Ever conscience of wind drag Christine thought she might help out Chantal save a modicum of energy.  Should it be a problem Chantal does have Rachel Neylan (Cofidis) as a witness to the "crime."   This group was also saving their energy by hanging out at the back of the leading group with just another 24 kilometers to race.  One can almost be sucked along by those breaking the wind at the front of the group, but if there is an attack you are SOL to get on terms. Majerus jersey is that of the Champion of Luxembourg.  That's why the teammates' jersey don't match.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes 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/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3875762-38-207546/Painting/picking-her-pocker-gw22-11.html

Paris Roubaix Femmes: Poursuivantes

After crashed, mud splatters, and fishtailing in the mud this rather large group of chasers began to get themselves organized into a full on chase of the lone woman up the road.  It was Lisa Brennauer (Ceratizit-WNT) and Christine Majerus (SD Worx) leading the chase both in their national champion’s jerseys.  As the road across Section 9, the Pont Thibaut a Ennevelin, they were almost two and a half minutes behind the lone leader.  With 38 kilometers left to race, it was mathematically likely that they would all catch their prey, however it is a former world champion they were hunting.

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 painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg 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/Spring-Classics-2021/3839944-50-290150/Painting/poursuivantes-pr21-3.html

La Course, One of These Six?

It was looking like these six had made the move of the day.  They had slipped off the front of the main peloton at the summit of the Cote de Rimiez and pushed their advantage on the rolling climb and following descent back down to Nice.  Anna Hendersen (Sunweb) took a drink as she rolled to the back of the pace line.  Ahead of her were Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), Lotte Kopecky (Lotto Soudal Ladies), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon SRAM), and Christine Majerus (Boels Dolman). It was Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo Women) that was driving the pace on the highway back into Nice.

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-de-France-2020/3686989-7-282744/Painting/one-of-these-six-lc20-2.html

La Course, Wanting to Be Queen

While I watched the two races in reverse order, it was the women who first raced around the streets of Nice and up the Cote de Rimiez.  Unlike the men, the women's race started out by going straight for the climb to the Queen of the Mountain points.  With such a blistering pace on the climb, it wasn't long before many of within the peloton found their day over before it even started.  As the peloton neared the summit, Christine Majerus (Boels-Dolmans), the oft champion of Luxembourg, jumped free to collect the maximum points on the climb.  If the same rules were applied as for the men, it means she claims the Maillot a Pois of Queen of the Mountains.  Giving chase was Maria Guila Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT) and it was Dani Christmas (Lotto Soudal Ladies) taking second over the cote for the first time.

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-de-France-2020/3686988-6-282744/Painting/wanting-to-be-queen-lc20-1.html

La Course: Assessing

The second annual La Course, a professional women's cycling race on the finishing course of the Tour de France was raced in rather miserable conditions.  With the rain falling on the oil stained cobbles of the Champs Elysees, the racers faced ice skating rink like conditions.  After the first major pile up of limbs and wheels, Christine Majerus (Boels Dolmans) was on the front of the peloton trying to asses which of her teammates were still with her.  La Course is being raced without the benefit of race radios, so figuring out which teammates crashed and where everyone is can be rather difficult.

This is an original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company, www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $50n USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  As this is an original painting, don't hesitate, once it is sold it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional%20Womens%20Cycling/2586067-6-207546/Painting.html#.VbUb2PlViko