2014 UCI Worlds: I Can Do This!

As he looked back over his shoulder with just over a kilometer to go this time, he could see a small group closing in.  And the peloton not far behind them.  He saw that former World Champion, Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) was leading, Cyril Gautier (France) and the two Spaniards, Roaquim Rodriquez and Alejandro Valverde, back towards his wheel.  With just about another 4 or 5 minutes of effort, Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland), must have been thinking, "I can do this!"  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/2014%20World%20Championships/2443438---202544/Painting.html#.VCi1Ps_D_IU

2014 UCI Worlds: Pushing Their Advantage

With Tony Martin (Germany) pulled back into the fold, it was time for this year's king of the breakaway, Alessandro De Marchi (Italy) to toss his hat into the ring.  Or perhaps his wheel into the wind?  De Marchi was quickly joined in the effort on the penultimate trip up the steep final climb on the 18 kilometer lap by Cyril Gautier (France) and Matti Breschel (Denmark).  The trio presented a serious threat to the peloton that was scrambling behind to get the chase organized.  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, be sure to check out my soon to be released, "Book de Tour."  It is a collection of my paintings and writings of the 101st Tour de France, a race and a book were De Marchi is well represented.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/2014%20World%20Championships/2443420---202544/Painting.html#.VCiry8_D_IU

Tour Stage Twelve: Pure Speed

Every thing looked perfect for Mark Cavendish, he had gotten past the wrecks and had a perfect lead out by Steegmans, but then nothing is guaranteed in the Tour or a sprint.  Today I saw something I thought I would never see, someone start a sprint behind Mark, and actually get around him.  Even Paul and Phil had given the race to Mark and were equally surprised when Kittel got the better of him on the line.  Although the bigger look of surprise was on Cav's face when he looked over at Marcel and realized he couldn't answer the surge.  Both of them were over a bike length ahead of the Green Jersey of Peter Sagan,  Katsuha's Kristoff continued his status of also ran.  This is definitely an exceptional gathering of sprinters for the 100th Tour de France.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of Kittel's third stage win in the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182399---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2mic_D_IU

Tour Stage Twelve: Over Cooked

Orica GreenEdge had put most of the team on the front of the peloton as it stormed into the city of Tours to give their sprinter, Matt Goss a shot at a stage win.  Unfortunately for Svein Tufts the speed, the sharpness of the round-about and the surface of the road conspired against him.  The title comes from the saying, "Over cooking the corner" to describe trying to go too fast through a corner, or coming into a corner to quickly.  His wheels just slid out from under him and down he went.  He was okay but I am sure he left a lot of skin on the streets of Tours.  Fortunately no one else went down.  Well, there was a big pile up about another 2 kilometers up the road that stopped Greipel from getting into the sprint finale.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist web site.  While you are there why not browse around.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182397---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2lBc_D_IU

Tour Stage Twelve: Catching the Last One

Juan Antonio Flecha had spent the entire stage out in front of the peloton and was in no mood to give up the ghost, even after all of his companions had been swallowed up by the fast moving legs of the group.  It is very rare for a break away to succeed in the Tour (or any other stage race), I think only Bakelants has managed it so far in the 100th Tour, however this year's Giro was the race of the break away.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours through a visit to my artist website where you can purchase this original painting.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to bid on your little piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182393---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2jNM_D_IU

Tour Stage Eleven: A Flash of Yellow

I loved the phrase that Phil Liggett used to describe what the spectators got to see as Chris Froome went by them in his aerodynamic tuck, "A Flash of Yellow".  It just seemed to perfect not to be a title of a painting, it just suits this image so well.  Chris Froome was confident that he would ride a good time trial, but I don't think he thought that he would gain time on everyone except the stage winner, Tony Martin (but then Martin is so far down on GC, that he was not threat to the jersey).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182369---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2dFM_D_IU

Tour Stage Six: The Job at Hand

With the second longest stage of the Tour, the domestiques had a long day of their noses in the window, pulling for their GC guys.  The head of the peloton is almost through the only KOM points of the day the only point for the Category 4 col went to Siutsou of Team Sky.  He was followed my Team Moviestar and BMC, but there were no points for anyone else.  This stage was almost "pancake flat" to quote Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2178291---186227/Painting.html#.UeH5acvD_IU

Dauphine Stage Two: Bringing It Back Together

Omega Pharma Quickstep spent most of the day on the front of the peloton riding tempo and pulling in all of the break away riders, now they have only one rider up the road.  Even he is within their sites.  They have assistance from one of my favorites, Thomas Voekler, who is riding for his Europcar teammate and wearer of the Yellow Jersey of race leader.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist web site.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2161071---185083/Painting.html#.Ubkzoc_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 2: On a Short Leash

After the long successful breakaway in Stage One, the peloton was in no mood to make the same mistake twice so this break never got more than 3 minutes up the road.  Thomas Damuseau, in the Polka Dot Mountain Jersey, was in the winning move yesterday, although he crossed the line with the main group.  His efforts were enough to let him be the wearer of the jersey for today's stage.  Veilleux won all but the young rider White Jersey, and he only missed that one by a few days, having just turned 24 years old.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper all from www.richesonart.com.  All of the works of the Dauphine are available for purchase at my artist website, including this one.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2161059---185083/Painting.html#.UbkxLc_D_IU

Criterium du Dauphine Stage One: Peloton Going Up

The peloton let the leading break away get over 10 minutes up the road in the first stage of the Dauphine at that point two of the teams of the main contenders, came to the front to set about chasing them down.  Moviestar and Team Sky must feel they have the best chances for winning the Yellow Jersey, or at least they were willing to do the work to catch the break.  As rare as it is for a break to work, this was a day where it paid off for at least one of those up the road.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and is available through my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2161003---185083/Painting.html#.Ubksz8_D_IU

Criterium du Dauphine Stage One: 10 Minutes in Hand

This is the first of my paintings of the Criterium du Dauphine, and this, of course, is the break away of the day.  As in most every stage of the Giro, a small group of riders jumped away from the peloton almost as soon as the racing began.  The group of four is made up of Veilleux of Europcar, Damuseau of Argos-Shimano, Bideau of Team Bretagne and Ambroa of Euskatdel/Euskadi.  The break got over ten minutes on the peloton before it realized that no one yet had the yellow jersey.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from www.richesonart.com they make fabulous supplies at great prices.  This work, and all of the paintings that I will be doing of the Dauphine, will be available for purchase through my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post.


http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2160955-1-0-185083/Painting/Sports.html#.UbkWFs_D_IU