Vuelta, Final Stage: Sprinting for Green

It was a bit strange to see the Red Jersey of Chris Froome (Sky) along with his teammate, Ian Stannard mixing it up for an intermediate sprint on the final stage.  The way the math works, Matteo Trentin (Quickstep) had to win both the intermediate sprint - he did - and the stage - he did and Froome had to not place better than thirteenth at the finish for Trentin to win Green.  Trentin did his part with the help of his teammates, Niki Terpstra, Bob Jungels and Tim Declercq.  However, Froome was able to sprint to a tenth place across the finish line claiming Green, Red and White for himself.  He must have looked like the Italian flag when he tried to wear all three of his trophies from the Vuelta together.

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/Vuelta-2017/3031954-55-239162/PaintingSprinting-for-Green-V-56.html

E3 Harelbeke: Neutral Service

The cobbles or the avoiding of the cobbles by riding in the ditches on the sides of the road make for a high risk of punctures.  If you combine that with the narrowness of the Belgium roads, a rider can wait a very long time for his team car to help him get going again.  The race organization provides neutral service vehicles that are able to be closer to each group on the road.  The course will split the race apart, spreading the race for tens of kilometers across the back roads of Belgium.  Here, Owain Dull (Sky) has had a wheel change from the Shimano sponsored mechanic and his getting a push to get back underway.  The Sky sprinter has none other than his teammate, Ian Stannard, waiting to help pace him back into the 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/Spring%20Classics%20/2939883-381-195767/PaintingNeutral%20Service%20E317-2.html

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Back in Europe

After racing below and near the equator, the peloton has now begun its campaign on the roads of northern Europe.  The riders face short steep climbs, many covered with pave and line with enthusiastic cold cycling fans cheering them on.  With a traditional early break up the road, it fell to Ian Stannard (Sky) - followed by Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) - to pull the peloton along in pursuit across the roads of Belgium.

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%20/2926065-328-195767/PaintingBack%20in%20Europe%20KBK17-a.html#.WLOIqfkrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 7b: Cav Leads Them Round

Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) seemed to announce that he would not be going for the stage victory today.  He went to the front of the peloton and with the help of  Ian Stannard (Sky) and Robert Power (Orica-BikeExchange) set about the task of bringing the escapees back.  Dimension Data has the Yellow Jersey in the fold, on the back of Steve Cummings, so letting those in front gain time wasn't really in the cards.  More of a threat were those in on the team leader's wheel, Rohan Dennis (BMC) sitting just inside of a minute behind.  Dennis is equal on time after this morning's time trial with Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin).  So it could be that Cavendish was just making the race hard for everyone rather than actually trying to chase down Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) and company.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2849913-78-189075/PaintingCav%20Leads%20Them%20Round%20ToB52-Greig-Leach.html#.V9SbN5grLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 3: Still Alone

Riding alone through Tatton Park, Ian Stannard (Sky) had a minute and forty five seconds on the duo behind, and seven and a half minutes on the peloton.  Clearly as he approached the flame rouge signifying one kilometer to the finish, the stage was his.  Again this image was far more appealing to me than his exhausted half salute of victory at the line.  I don't fault him.  He had just raced 179 kilometers of the front of the race, with the last 30 on his own.  I doubt he had enough energy to get off the bike except for the joy of the victory lifting his spirits and his legs.  Chapeau, Ian!

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848547-48-189075/PaintingStill%20Alone%20ToB22-Greig-Leach.html#.V8-7NpgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 3: Letting Him Know

Ian Stannard (Sky) had timed his attack to perfection.  He had waited for Graham Briggs (JLT Condor) to take a pull.  Once Briggs rolled off the front, Stannard went on the offensive, and try as he might, Briggs just couldn't get back on the Sky rider's wheel.  When Stannard's team car pulled up to give him a bottle, they could also let him know that he had over a minute on his erstwhile companions.  And of even more importance, over seven and a half minutes on the peloton.  With twenty four kilometers to race, Stannard would be one of the top three on the stage, but most likely he would take his first ever Tour of Britain stage.  It is always great to see one of the worker bees able to work for themselves.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848545-47-189075/PaintingLetting%20Him%20Know%20ToB21-Greig-Leach.html#.V8-4GJgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 3: On the High Moor

The original break had now dropped down to just three riders as they raced across the longest climb of the Tour up to the Cat and the Fiddle.  The climb is named for the pub that sits a the summit of the of the hill.  I guess the theory is that if one has too many pints at least one can roll down the hill to get home.  The trio is being led by Graham Briggs (JLT Condor) but it was Kristian House (ONE Pro Cycling) who claimed the maximum points on the final summit of the day, which he added to his first two first place summits on the day.  He would be the one to take over the lead in the KOM, if Roche and Meurisse failed to gain any points on this climb.  It would be a long wait to learn the wearer of the Black Jersey because they along with Ian Stannard (Sky) now had a six minute lead over the following 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848531-44-189075/PaintingOn%20the%20High%20Moor%20ToB18-Greig-Leach.html#.V8-xhJgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 3: Rolling Through

Today was expected to be a day for the sprinters, so there wasn't much concern when these three went from the moment the neutralized start was completed.  Of the four, Ian Stannard (Sky) was the best placed on GC and he was thirteen minutes behind the race leader, Julian Vermote (Etixx-Quickstep).  Joining the former British National Champion were three more Brits, Kristian House (ONE Pro Cycling) who is also a former British National Champion, Graham Briggs (JLT Condor) and Matt Cronshaw (Madison Gensis).  If these four could manage to stay away it would mean a British sweep on the podium by the end of the day.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848491-42-189075/PaintingRolling%20Through%20ToB16-Greig-Leach.html#.V8-syJgrLIU

Paris Roubaix: Embracing His Victory

It was Matthew Hayman (Orica GreenEdge) who had slipped away at 72 kilometers to go, only to be brought back into the fold, that got the jump on the more season campaigners who came into the velodrome with the Australian.  Hayman seemed stunned and perhaps incredulous that he had actually one this most fabled of one day races.  He had just held off the veteran Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quickstep), as well as Ian Stannard (Team Sky).  Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL Jumbo) who had felt sure the race was his twenty minutes earlier, missed the podium, having poured all of his energy into the solo effort.  Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) came home almost a minute and a half later, with Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo) arriving another three minutes later covered in the mud of northern France and the sweat of disappointment in a poorly timed tumble.

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.  In addition this painting, and all of my cycling artwork, 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.

Be sure to discover my most recent book, Art of Cycling: Richnond 2015 UCI Road World Chanpionships.  You can find the book at your favorite online retailer or at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2767310-318-195767/Painting.html#.Vwsn9fkrLIU

Paris Roubaix: They Clawed Their Way Back

Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL Jumbo) heart must have sunk when he looked under his arm and say three very strong riders coming back up to his wheel.  He had been sure he had left them behind on the fourth section of cobbles, but with just 12 kilometers left to race, the lead group was now back up to four men.  Under the watchful eye of the TV moto, Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data), Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quickstep) and Ian Stannard (Sky) had pulled themselves back into contention for victory in the Velodrome that completes the final kilometers of the Hell of the North.

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.  In addition this painting, and all of my cycling artwork, 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.

Be sure to discover my most recent book, Art of Cycling: Richnond 2015 UCI Road World Chanpionships.  You can find the book at your favorite online retailer or at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2767307-317-195767/Painting.html#.VwslMPkrLIU

Paris Roubaix: Teammates Down!

Team Sky was feeling like they were in a perfect position on the front of the race.  They had four of their riders driving the pace, putting the pain to all of those trying to hold their wheels.  But there are many things that can go wrong and do so almost instantly when racing on wet cobbles.  Elia Viviani heard the sickening sound of a crash on his wheel. As he snapped his head aroung he could see his teammates, Salvatore Puccio and Luke Rowe, going down hard.  Ian Stannard (Sky) was able to slip around the crash, but it was obvious that their advantage had disappeared just that quickly.

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.  In addition this painting, and all of my cycling artwork, 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.

Be sure to discover my most recent book, Art of Cycling: Richnond 2015 UCI Road World Chanpionships.  You can find the book at your favorite online retailer or at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2767295-314-195767/Painting.html#.VwsdtPkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Jumping Them All

Arnaud Demare (FDJ) had just cause to celebrate this victory, not only had he won Milano-San Remo by several bike lengths, he had done so after being on the ground with just 25 kilometers left to race.  It to herculean effort to get back to the peloton and then all the way up to the business end of affairs.  He was able to hold off Ian Stannard (Sky) who was the only one who could come close to matching the Frenchman's speed to the line.  Just missing the podium was Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and pounding his handle bars was fellow Frenchman, Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) who surely preferred to have been taking the race for France.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747795-296-195767/Painting.html#.Vu979vkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Slipping Away

With the peloton catching the last of the early escapees on the lower slopes of the Cipressa (the penultimate climb of the day), it was time for the opportunists to try and surprise the others.  The first to jump free of the rather large peloton was Giovanni Visconti (Movistar).  Visconti's move was quickly covered by Ian Stannard (Sky).  The two opened up a quick 15 seconds on those behind.  They worked together all the way to the top where Stannard led the Italian down the fast, twisting descent.  I couldn't help put notice the bright orange pads that lined most of the corners on the way down.  It was a little distressing to watch one of the men riding for FDJ slam into the pad.  Comforting to know that the pad did the job it was designed for, as he jumped back on his bike and continued racing.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747783-294-195767/Painting.html#.Vu93DPkrLIU

Tour Down Under: Job Done

A team will have a designated leader, sometimes it may have two different objectives. or two possible race contenders.  For BMC Pro Cycling, they have the luxury of riches, Rohan Dennis started the day in third overall, with their new recruit, Richie Porte not far behind.  However, these guys and their positions on GC meant that the rest of the team had to work just that much harder.  As the peloton road through Willunga Hill for the final time, those teammates would had spent themselves in support of their leaders, dropped to the back of the pack and prepared to fight another day.  Maarten Tjallingii (LottoNL Jumbo0, Ian Stannard (Team Sky) dropped back along with the duo of Alessandro De Marchi (BMC) and Peter Velits (BMC) having done what they could for their teams.  I just now noticed that I never painted in the black area on the small of the backs of the BMC kit.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using watercolors from www.richesonart.com and 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.  In addition, be sure to check out my new book, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships" available now at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2682113-91-194179/Painting.html#.VqQI8PkrLIU

Tour Down Under: Catching Them Off Guard

With all of the contenders all together over the top of the final ascent of the day, Jesus Herrada (Movistar) caught everyone napping as he launched an aggressive attack.  You can see Ian Stannard (Team Sky) looking over at his teammate, Geraint Thomas, asking if they should go after the former Spanish National Champion.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using watercolors from www.richesonart.com and 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.  In addition, be sure to check out my new book, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships" available now at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2679727-85-194179/Painting.html#.VqKRUvkrLIU

Tour Down Under: Taking Control

For the second day in a row, Team Sky hid out in the peloton until the final kilometers in the race.  As the peloton started the final 8 kilometer climb up to the finishing line in Sterling, Ian Stannard lead his teammates, Luke Rowe, Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh as the Sky boys raised the pace just as BMC had done on the previous lap.  The question is, are they setting up Thomas for the GC or Kennaugh for the stage.  Hint, it was Kennaugh who was the first to start the sprint for the line.  Spoiler alert, he didn't get there first.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using watercolors from www.richesonart.com and 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.  In addition, be sure to check out my new book, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships" available now at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2674783-71-194179/Painting.html#.Vp_VhPkrLIU

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Flying Up 23rd

With this the third to last trip up the 18% wall of 23rd Street, Ian Stannard (UK) jumped out of the greatly reduced peloton attempting to make the early (perhaps too early) move.  Bauke Mollema is the Dutch rider was the one to respond in hopes of joining the Brit to create the upset escape.  The Elite peloton is far to crafty to let a move like this one succeed, plus this is the hill everyone expects to be where the attacks will occur.  The road use to have an asphalt strip that ran up the center of the climb, but felt it necessary to "improve" the road by returning it to its original Belgium Cobble surface.  Keeping an eye on the duo and then going after them was Tom Boonen. "Tom Frites" as he is nicknames throughout Europe seemed to be very confident of his own chances for the podium today.

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.  The works were done live in the middle of the Fanfest area across from the awards podium as the racing was going on.  Prints and the originals will be available before very long at www.richmond.com (the website of the Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper). 

Tour de France, Stage 14: Sharing His Lunch

The men of Team Sky have had an incredible amount of work to do in the 102nd Tour de France.  Their leader, Chris Froome has spent roughly six days in the Maillot Jaune, having won it, lost it, and won it back again.  It took the tireless riding of his teammates to get Froome into the Yellow Jersey and their continued sacrifice to keep in one of the two most coveted jerseys cycling.  To do the hard work, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas and the rest of the team need quite a bit of food to top off their energy levels.  Here, Thomas is passing a musette full of tasty high energy food to Stannard to make sure everyone will be up to defending their team leader's lead on the short sharp climb up to the airfield above Mende.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co., www.richesonart.com.  Plus, 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 just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, since this is a one of a kind original work of art, when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2581988---210122/Painting.html#.Vas-aPlViko

Paris Roubaix: Stretching His Legs

Oops, I got myself out of order with this post.  This one should have come before "The Next to Go" and after "Waiting on the Train".  Each of the favorites that had remained upright and had made the decisive split had a dig at each other, testing their own legs and those of their rivals.  Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Saxo) adorned in his Slovakian National Champion jersey  slipped away from Ian Stannard (Team Sky) and the rest as the winds blew and the cobbles rattled everyone's teeth.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular watercolor just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

If you are enjoying reading about Paris Roubaix with the accompanying artwork, be sure to search out my recently published, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France".  It can be found through most every online bookseller around the world.  Google the title to discover where you can get a copy and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2541158---195767/Painting.html#.VSsFAvnF-xU

E3 Harelbeke: Narrow Roads of Flanders

With April almost here, the ProTour dipped its wheels into the cobbles of Belgium for the first race of the season.  The Cobbled Classics make for hard racing, narrow roads and very tough sections of uneven road surfaces.  This year's E3 Harelbeke started without one of the big names of the Belgium cobbles, Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quickstep), he crashed out early in the season, suffering a broken collar bone.  Today another big name in the classics, Fabian Canellara (Trek Factory Racing) hit the pave, while he did get back on the bike and ride further, he eventually pulled out with two fractured vertabrae.  Team Sky came to the front to chase down the four man break, putting Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Bernard Eisel on the front of the peloton.  BMC, Lotto NL Jumbo and Tinkoff Saxo waited in the wings ready to play their part in the drama 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 www.richesonart.com.  In addition this painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2533360---195767/Painting.html#.VRZil_nF-xU