Tour, Final Stage: An American in Paris

As soon as I saw the American, Lawson Craddock (Cannondale-Drapac) go into the first serious break away on the Champs, I knew what the title would be.  Now I just had to find the right image to go with it.  For those who aren't aware, Gene Kelly, did a wonderful film shot in the 50's about an artist who moved to Paris to follow his dream.  Craddock is following his dream.  Every bike racer no matter how amateur dreams of racing on the cobbled boulevard of Paris, I know I did.  Craddock actually got to see that dream come true, and he certainly make sure his family saw him (along with every American cycling fan watching at home).  Joining Craddock was Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Daniel Teklehaimanet (Dimension Data), Brice Feillu (Fortuneo Vital Concept) and Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida).  The other rider who is hidden right now is Jeremy Roy (FDJ).  The group stretched their lead out to almost thirty seconds before the sprinters' teams decided to shut it down.

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%202016/2828453-158-224974/PaintingAn%20American%20in%20Paris%20TdF159-Greig-Leach.html#.V5U-l7grLIU

Dauphine, Stage 2: Let's Go Get 'Em

Looking back over his shoulder, Lilian Caleneiane (Direct Energie) seemed to call to Daniel Teklehaimanet (Dimension Data) and Jack Bauer (Cannondale), "Let's go get 'em!"  The threesome had just been dropped by their earlier compatriots on the climbe up the Cote de Saint Georges-en-Couzan.  Leaving them behind was Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18).  Teklehaimanet had ridden over the first to climbs claiming maximum points in the King of the Mountain competition, but losing the leaders on the third climb would mean the Eritrean wouldn't claim the Polka Dot Jersey at the end of the day.

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/2804581-48-185083/Painting.html#.V1eQVJErLIU

Tour of California, Final Stage: On the Open Road

Wanting to leave nothing to chance, the teams of the sprinters and of the Yellow Jersey, toiled away on the front of the peloton making sure that the seven men up the road never gained more than two minutes of the group being lead by Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data).  The Eritrean Tekleharmanot had the honor of being the first African rider to ever pull on the Polka Dot Jersey of King of the Mountains in the Tour de France.  He gained fame not only in his country but through out the entire continent.  The peloton was riding through the wide open plains of the interior of California, the region that is consider the bread basket of the state.  Although more than just wheat is farmed in the fields along today's route.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was painting using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company (www.richesonart.com).  This painting along with all of my cycling art, 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 at the website, be sure to check out my two cycling art books, "Book du Tour: Art of the 101st Tour de France" and, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships".

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20of%20California/2795054-46-223355/Painting.html#.V0KfsfkrLIU

Commissioned paintings of the Tour or just the roads of the Tour

This painting is a reworking of the very first piece of the 102nd Tour de France.  The original, still available on my website at www.greigleach.com had an inaccuracy that an Eritrean was quick to point out.

Can you spot the difference on the back of Daniel Teklehaimanot's jersey?  My Eritrea friend asked that I created a larger painting (9"x12") that included the flag waving fans at the start, along with the correct flag on the back of the first black African on an African registered team to race in the Tour de France.  Teklehaimanot went on to become the first Eritrean (or black African) to wear any of the leaders' jerseys in the Tour.  He was the leader in the King of the Mountains competition for two days.

 

 

The other piece I completed today was for a fan of my art and of cycling who lives in Spain.  He had sent me a photograph of him riding up the fabled Alpe d'Huez.  A feat that I have added to my bucket list, not that I am very good on the steep climbs here on the East Coast of the United States. 

 

You, too, could commission a painting of your favorite cycling event, be it the Pro's or yourself.  Just send me an email with an attached photograph and let's get to work.  My email address, I hear you ask.  greigsart@gmail.com

Tour de France, Stage 17: Climbing to the Top of the Tour

Not wanting to make his stint early on in the Maillot a Pois seemed like a fluke, the darling of Eritrea, Daniel Teklehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka) went out from the early break in pursuit of Simon Geschke (Giant Alpecin) and more points in the King of the Mountains competition.  With Chris Froome (Team Sky) holding both the Maillot Jaune and the Maillot a Pois, it would be quite a stretch for Teklehaimanet to reclaim the Polka Dots of the King of the Mountains.  The side race for all of  MTN-Qhubeka is the Team Competition where his wildcard team now sits second overall just twenty minutes behind Movistar.  The Team Competition is decided by the combined times of the top three riders for each team.  Movistar started the day with riders sitting in second and fourth overall, so MTN-Qhubeka will have a chore closing the gap.

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.richesonart.com.  They are a small family run art supply company that really does have excellent art making materials.  This painting, and in fact all of my cycling artwork, 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.  Don't delay however, since it is an original painting, when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2583533-111-210122/Painting.html#.VbAEsvlViko

Tour de France Stage 7: A Dream Fulfilled

The feel good story of this Tour, so far, is that of the Eritrean, Daniel Telkehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka).  As the story is being reported, as a young kid in Africa he would watch tapes of the Tour de France and dream of one day getting to race the Grand Boucle.  Rather than imagine himself in the Maillot Jaune, he would imagine himself wearing the Maillot a Pois.  Here he is this many years later, wearing the jersey as the fruit of his labors from Stage 6.  With one Category 4 climb at the start of the stage today, Telkeaimanet went in the break that was formed by Luis Mate (Cofidis).  The pair were joined by the pair of riders from Bretagne-Seche, Anthony Delaplace and Brice Feillu, and Kristijan Durasck (Lampre-Merida).  With the pancake flat stage elevation after the small climb, this stage was sure to be one for the sprinters, but if you don't go in the break, you have no chance of winning the stage.

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.richesonart.com).  They are a wonderful family run art supply company located in the northern mid-west of the United States.  This painting, and 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.  Don't delay, this is an original watercolor, so when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578922---210122/Painting.html#.VaAVPflViko

Tour de France Stage 6: Who Got That One?

Very little is given in the Tour de France, it must all be earned.  While I am sure that his breakaway companions knew that Daniel Teklehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka) desperately wanted the Maillot Pois, it doesn't mean that they weren't going to fight for it to.  As Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis) and Teklehaimanet sprinted to the summit of the Cote de Pourville-sur-Mer, neither was sure who had taken the sole KOM point on offer.  The duo checked with each other, but it was the Tour organizer's computer that awarded the point to Teklehaimanet.  That made it two out of two climbs on the way to claiming the Polka Dot Jersey.  At this point he is tied with Roaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) but if he wins the final climb of the day, it will be his outright.

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.  They are a family run art supply company located in the northern midwest United States.  You can find them on the web at www.richesonart.com.  You can find this painting and many others at my artist website at www.greigleach.com and you can purchase this painting for only $60 USD while you are there.  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578464---210122/Painting.html#.VZ7FTPlViko

Tour de France Stage 6: Three in a Row

Perrig Quemeneur (Europcar) put himself into yet another break away in the opening week of the Tour de France.  Quemeneur was joined in the effort, that went away with just five kilometers gone, by Daniel Teklehamanent (MTN-Qhubeka) and Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis).  Teklehamanent started the day with the plan of fulfilling a childhood dream, a dream of wearing the Mailliot Pois in a Tour de France.  All he had to do was get over all three Category 4 climbs first.  As his teammate, Tyler Farrar, said, "Easy to say on the bus, an entirely different think to accomplish out on the road."  But accomplish it he did, making him the first black African to wear a King of the Mountain Jersey in one of the Grand Tours.  Van Bilsen's presence in the break marks the first time that the French team, Cofidis as showed their bright red kit to the TV cameras in this Tour.

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.  They are a family run art supply company located in the northern midwest United States.  You can find them on the web at www.richesonart.com.  You can find this painting and many others at my artist website at www.greigleach.com and you can purchase this painting for only $60 USD while you are there.  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578442---210122/Painting.html#.VZ7CEvlViko

Tour de France Stage 1: Many First

The 102nd Tour de France got underway today with a short individual time trial through the streets of Utrecht in the Netherlands.  Daniel Teklehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka) was the first of 190 men to ride down the ramp and out into the opening stage of the Tour.  Teklemhaimanet is the first Eritrean to race the Tour and this is his team's first opportunity to ride in the race around France.  With his departure from the start gate, today is the first time that the Tour has ever started in the Dutch city of Utrecht.  So this painting does represent quite a few firsts for the Tour and for my project of painting every stage of the race every day.

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 and all of my cycling art 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2576522-1-0-210122/Painting/Sports.html#.VZifkvlViko