Paris Nice 23, Stage 8: “The Jersey Is Ours”

From the beginning of my painting Paris Nice this year, Jonas Gregaard (Uno-X) has been off the front of the peloton in search of King of the Mountain points.  Today was no different.  Today however, as he went over the third climb of the day first, he radioed back to his team car to let them know that he had won the Polka Dot Jersey of the best climber in the race.  Yes, there are two more climbs to go, but even if Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) goes over them both first, he still couldn’t catch Gregaard.  He was followed over the Cote de Berre les Alpes by Clement Champoussin (Arkea-Samsic) and David de la Cruz (Astana-Qazaqstan).  Just peeking around the corner is Oliver Naesen (Ag2r-Citroen) and the rest of the early break away.

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/Paris-Nice/3939757-107-272742/Painting/repeat-performance.-pn23-25.html

Amgen ToC, Stage 2: Bonus Seconds

Part of race strategy is picking up bonus seconds at the intermediate sprints along the road.  Normally, those sprints are on flat stretches of road, but the second sprint today was on the climb up Luther Pass with just 30 kilometers left in the stage.  The break was still off the front and it was Dennis Rohan (Bahrain Merida) racing for a new team, vieing for a three second bonus against reigning ToC champion, David de la Cruz (Ineso).  Apparently, Rohan had a slip of gears and just missed getting the maximum seconds, taking second to de la Cruz.  These seconds can be very important, almost every Tour of California has been decided by less than a minute.

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%20of%20California/3331451-63-223355/Bonus%20Seconds%20%20ToC19-8.html

Giro, Final Stage, Curtain Call

All put one rider of Team Sky joined arms as they rode throught Roma in celebration of a quite historic win.  Missing was Vasil Kiryienka who pulled out two days ago.  Those who got to take the bow with their pink handlebar tape flashing (Froome has a brilliant pink bike instead) where, Chris Froome, Kenny Elissonde, David de la Cruz, Sergio Henao, Christian Knees, Wout Poels and Salvatore Puccio.  Earlier the announcers were claiming that Froome was the first rider to hold all three grand tour jersey at once.  While that isn't correct, he is now just one of three to accomplish that feat.  Miguel Indurain achieved that remarkable task and the great Eddy Merckx went on better, winning four consecutive grand tours.  Froome will be starting the Tour, so he could equal Merckx this July.

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.

This painting is sold!

Giro, Stage 8: Having to Chase

With the rains pouring down the mountain side, the peloton could be somewhat happy that they didn't have to race down the mountain.  But that didn't mean that there wasn't risk in the hairpin turns just the same.  A number of riders went down in a corner, most notably Chris Froome (Sky) and his teammate Wout Poels.  Waiting just ahead is Sky armada, David De La Cruz.  Froome was able to rejoin the peloton, but lost a few more seconds against some of his GC rivals.  Even before the 101st Giro d'Italia started, Froome crashed in a training run of the TT course back in Jerusalem.  Nothing serious, but he just seems not to be laser focused for this race.  But then he has been having some distracting issues off of the bike involving the inhaler for his asthma.  But then, it is early days yet.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3162090-34-249297/PaintingForced-to-Chase--G18-34.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Men's Road Race: Is this the Move?

A number of riders bridged up to the attack by Marco Haller (Austria) and worked hard to make it stick.  For Lars Boom (Netherlands), Jack Haig (Australia), David de la Cruz (Spain), Odd Christian Eiking (Norway) and Time Wellens (Belgium), they were hoping that this was going to be the winning move.  The group quickly opened a gap on the peloton.  With representatives from the most aggressive teams of the race thus far, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway and Australia, the peloton was being a bit slow to react.  On the other hand, the French, Poles, and Italians had missed the move and would soon be obliged to chase.

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/3038065-52-239826/PaintingIs-this-the-Move?--Bergen-52.html

Paris Nice, Final Stage: Anything Left?

This pair, David de la Cruz (Quickstep) and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) had caught and dropped the flagging Marc Soler (Movistar) and came to the line together for the stage victory.  The vastly more experienced Contador had managed to get de la Cruz to lead the duo onto the final straightaway.  De la Cruz looked back over his shoulder and must have felt that Contador had nothing left for a sprint.  He was right.  De la Cruz took the win on the Promenade des Anglais and the ten second time bonus.  That left a six second bonus for Contador.  Unfortunately for the man who lost the race by four seconds last year, Contador, the Colombian, Sergio Henao (Sky) was able to pull back enough time to end the day holding onto the Maillot Jaune by TWO SECONDS.  In the post race interview, Contador seem almost non-plus about the results.  Perhaps it is his Spanish nature, or just having won every Grand Tour more than once, and this race twice in the past, he just knows what racing is all about.

Thge next race for my paint brushes will be the one day, Milan-San Remo.  So please check back next weekend.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/2933009-379-195767/PaintingAnything%20Left?%20PN17-43.html

Paris Nice, Final Stage: Opening Up a Gap

Even though there was a large break away up the road, these three decided that there just wasn't a hard enough pace in the peloton, so off they went in search of stage glory.  Up the road Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) was grabbing up all of the King of the Mountain points, by the summit of this climb he made sure that he would be the winner of the Polka Dot Jersey for the whole of this year's race.  All he has to do is make sure he finished along the coast in Nice.  The trio of David de la Cruz (Quickstep), Simone Petilli (UAE Abu Dhabi) and Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data) used the upper slopes of the penultimate climb of the day, the Cote de Peille to simply ride the others off of their wheels.  Not only was this the penultimate climb of the day it was the same for the entire 75th Paris Nice.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/2932872-373-195767/PaintingOpening%20Up%20a%20Gab%20PN17-37.html

Paris Nice, Stage 7: Trading in the Maillot Jaune

Julian Alaphilippe (Quickstep) was unable to go with the big accelerations from the domestiques of Sergio Henao (Sky) and Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo).  He quickly lost contact with the main peloton and had his faithful assistant, David de la Cruz to help him limited his losses.  Alaphilippe could take some comfort from knowing that his teammate Dan Martin was still hanging tough with the heads of the climbing state.  He can find further comfort in realizing that while he may not keep the Maillot Jaune, he will be holding the Maillot Blanc since the next closes in that classification has already been dropped.  Joining the Quickstep duo, but not offering any assistance, were Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Diego Ulissi (UAE Abu Dhabi).  Ulissi had been on the front of the race at the bottom of the climb, but just couldn't hold onto the peloton as it sped past.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/2932585-370-195767/PaintingTrading%20in%20the%20Maillot%20Jaune%20PN17-34.html

Il Lombardia: Pushing On

With the remnants of the peloton catching them up, the trio of David De La Cruz (Etixx-Quickstep), Pierre-Roger Latour (Ag2r) and Rudy Molard (Cofidis) pushed on in hopes of staying away.  At this point, they were second through fourth on the road with still two big climbs to surmount.  More likely than not, at least Latour was riding for his teammate Romain Bardet, but the other two's team leaders hadn't been able to stay with the leading peloton.

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/2860435-26-206768/PaintingPushing%20On%20IL2-Greig-Leach.html#.V_Grs_ArLIU