Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Who's Going to Jump?

The powerful Lizzie Armistead (UK) lead this group of eight up the final climb of the race.  As they rounded the corner onto the finishing straight it seemed that the entire octet was going to come to a complete standstill.  It was beginning to look more like a track race than the end of a 130 kilometer road race.  Each rider was looking at her adversaries trying to see who was about to launch her sprint.  Armistead was in the least favorable position trying to see who was going to open up the sprint for the line.  Following the ongoing aggression of the Dutch women it was Anna Van Der Breggen who made the first move.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Leading Up the Cobbles

On the penultimate ascent of Libbie Hill, it was the American Coryn Rivera who lead the thinning peloton up the cobbles.  She was matched by the Italian Valentina Scandolara, Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) with Katarzyna Niewradonna (Poland) trying to hold the climbing carbon wheel.  The atmosphere on the hillside was electric as the starts of women's cycling ascended to Chruchhill yet another time.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: The Winning Move

As the leading trio reached the summit up Libbie Hill for the final time, Anthony Turgis (France) made a powerful acceleration to jump through the inside corner grabbing the lead from Simone Consonni (Italy).  The Frenchman's teammate, Kevin Ledanois, watched his countryman go keeping a sharp eye on the Italian on his wheel.  As it turned out, the winning move didn't deliver the win and the Rainbow Jersey to Turgis...

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds:

Adriano Malori (Italy) found the final climb and the false flat a bit much but still managed to sprint across the line in first place with just four riders left on the road behind him.  The odds said he had a chance for the podium.  It would only take roughly another six minutes to discover which step would be his.  Behind him on the road were some pretty big names including a former hour record holder, Rohan Denni, Tony Martin and Tom Dumolin.  Then there was the very strong riding of Vasil Kiryienka.  As it turned out, only Kiryienka was able to best his time, and then by only 9 seconds after over an hour of effort.  The average time for the winner, Kiryienka was over 52 kilometers per hour.  Of course that means the Italian Malori claimed the silver medal for the Richmond 2015 UCI World Road Racing Champions.

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 along with two different sizes of prints in the Richmond Convention Center just a block away from the finish line of every race of the UCI World Road Racing Championships.  Just come look for me directly across from the awards podium.  Plus you can find a live stream of my painting the works at www.richmond.com were the paintings will soon be available for purchase.

2014 UCI Worlds: Leading Them Home

Just as in the professional teams, the national teams have both domestiques and designated team leaders, leaders who ride as protected riders.  Ion Izagirre (Spain) riding for the "home team", went to the front to chase down the breakaway for his teammates, Alejandro Valverde (who rides with him on the Movistar squad) and Joaquim Rodriquez.  Benefiting from his efforts, tucked in behind the strong man from the Basque countryside, were this year's winner of the Tour de France, Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) and the climbing sprinter, John Degenkolb (Germany).  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, why not take the time to browse all of the art that is on offer?  Remember, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/2014%20World%20Championships/2443426---202544/Painting.html#.VCivAM_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

2014 UCI Worlds: Splintering the Peloton

Once the early breakaway had been caught by the enlivened peloton, it was the hills and the rain that combined to splinter the pack.  That and the aggressive riding of Peter Kennaugh (United Kingdom) and Giovanni Visconti (Italy).  The pair decided it was time to open up the race, perhaps establish a break for their team leaders to bridge up to.  This is a small original art 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 release book of the 2014 Tour de France, "Book de Tour."   Visconti is one of the many riders in today's peloton that feature prominently in the book.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/2014%20World%20Championships/2443382---202544/Painting.html#.VCikQc_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Parading Quintana Home

Cycling is a sport full of traditions, pageantry and unwritten rules, one tradition of the final stage of a Grand Tour is for the team of the overall leader to parade around the first lap of the final circuit of the final stage.  Another is to share a glass of champagne with the Director Sportif while tooling along on the stage, but Movistar opted out of that one (or at least it didn't happen under the eye of the TV Moto).  The circuit in Trieste included a sharp little climb about 3 kilometers from the finishing line, that seemed the appropriate place to show Quintana and his Movistar team.  After all it was in the mountains where he won the 97th Giro d'Italia.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4 inches by 6 inches and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  Also, this painting and indeed all of my cycling art, is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com for only $50 USD.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of Nairo Quintana's first Grand Tour win.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373962---198213/Painting.html#.U4uDQMvD_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 4: An Italian Bird

Two things here, first an explanation of the title.  In the USA, when one is annoyed, one may "Flip the bird" which is to stick up one's middle finger (the literal translation of the gesture is obscene and not very nice), the gesture that Bernhard Eisel (Team Sky) is making is the Italian equivalent of the American bird.  However, what Eisel was doing was actually calling the referee's motorcycle back to him to get some answers about what was going to be neutralized and what wasn't.  At this point the rain had stopped and the roads were relatively safe.  There was a lot of arguing, debate, and confusion in the peloton and the organizers weren't really being as informative or decisive as they might be.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting you can follow the direct link at the end off this post, but why not browse around of all of the art on offer.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2363357---198213/Painting.html#.U3J5B8_D_IU

Giro Day Nineteen: Sweeping Into Town

My daughter-in-law was watching me working on today's painting, and when she saw this view she exclaimed, "Why doesn't our country look like this, we go things!"  This is the break away riding into Nanto past the church and school nestled amongst the olive groves and vineyards.  Yes, those little dots are the racers being escorted by the motos and the service vehicle.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post and get your little view of Italy.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2153389---184157/Painting.html#.UaVYEM_D_IU