Giro, Stage 15: A Quick Peek

Jeremy Roy (FDJ) takes a quickl peek under his arm to see if the peloton was closing in on this group of escapees.  With the Frenchman are Moreno Hofland (Lotto Soudal), Eugert Zhupa (Wilier-Triestina) - it feels like he has been in every break of the Giro, Jan Barta (Bora-Hansgrohe) and bringing up the rear, Dries Devenyns (Quickstep).  This quintet was able to get a handful of seconds on the peloton, but were eventually reeled back in like several earlier attempts by others.  It seems that yet again, the peloton had a very specific group in mind that they were going to allow to form a break.  This was not one of the groups it had in mind.

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.

With the racing of the 100th Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in helping this book get made, please consider backing the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included. With Kickstarter, if there is not a 100% funded, no one is charged a dime, and the project recieves 0% funding.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2970691-93-235247/PaintingA-Quick-Peek-G17-101.html

Tour, Stage 6: Leaning In

True to form, Stage 6 of the Tour de France open with a break away getting clear with just three kilometers covered.  The first Japanese rider to finish a Tour de France, Yukiya Arashiro who rides for the Italian team, Lampre-Merida, led his companion, Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) into a sharp right turn under the watchful eyes of the TV Moto, the race director and some dignitaries riding along in the second red car.  Bora-Argon 18 has managed to but a rider into every break thus far with the exception of Stage 4.  It is on the wild card teams to give the race a good show, to validate their presence in the 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.  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%202016/2820787-35-224974/PaintingLeaning%20In%20TdF35-Greig-Leach.html#.V361H7grLIU

Tour, Stage 1: Well Done, My Friend

After Paul Voss (Bora-Argon 18) went over the final climb of the day, he awaited the return of his erstwhile break away companions.  As the group caught up led by his teammate, Jan Barta, he was given a nice pat on the back for claiming all of the KOM points on the day.  Joining the Bora-Argon duo where local boy, Anthony Delaplace (Fortuneo Vital Concept), Leigh Howard (IAM Cycling) and the American, Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac).  The group of five had over two minutes on the peloton behind, but it was sure to be a day for the sprinters.

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/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2817367-2-224974/PaintingWell%20Done,%20My%20Friends%20TdF2-Greig-Leach.html#.V3fwT7grLIU

Tour de France Stage 3: Wide Open Roads

The Tour left the roads of the Netherlands crossing onto the flat wide open roads of Belgium.  The early breakaway seems to have found the only stretch of the entire stage that wasn't chocked full of cycling crazed Belgians.  Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) who had managed to get into the break yesterday, was joined by Bryan Naulleau (Europcar), Louis Meintjes (MTN-Qhubeka) and Martin Elimger (IAM Cycling).  Elimger is no stranger to the heart break of a Tour de France break away.  He and a fellow escapee where caught just 50 meters from the line as the peloton swooped into Nimes in the 2014 Tour de France.  The open roads can often lead to strong cross roads so you can be sure that the peloton behind was keeping a watchful eye on wind speed and direction.

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, a family run art supply company with incredible products for all sorts of artistic endeavors.  Their website is www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this painting 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.  But don't delay, since it is an original there is only one of these paintings available and you wouldn't want to miss your opportunity to have a piece of art from the 102nd Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2577150---210122/Painting.html#.VZtsrPlViko

Tour de France Stage 2: Checking the Time

The breakaway shed itself of the Frenchman, Perrig Quemeneur (Europcar) after Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) attacked the group to get maximum points at the intermediate sprint.  Barta pressed on on his own, but he was eventually joined by Stef Clement (IAM Cycling) and Amindo Fonseca (Bretagne Seche) as the trio road through the streets of Rotterdam.  Even with constant radio communication with their team cars, the riders are informed of the time gaps between groups on the road by the age old slate board.  Holding the board is always a rather attractive woman giving the riders something else to check out beside the time gap.

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 for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But do hurry, since it is an original there is only one of these to be had.  International shipping is available, too.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2576848---210122/Painting.html#.VZoivPlViko

Tour de France Stage 2: Parting the Sea

Stage 2 was the opening of the road racing in this year's Tour.  The peloton left Utrecht heading for the wide open flats of the Dutch country side covering 166 kilometers on their way to the edge of the North Sea and Zelande.  This group of four wasted no time getting away from the peloton, attacking as soon as the neutral zone came to an end and the racing flag was dropped.  The foursome of Amindo Fonseca (Bretagne Seche), Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18), Perrig Quemeneur (Europcar), and Stef Clement (IAM Cycling) were never able to gain more than two minutes on those behind.  The stage profile showed that it would be a day for the sprinters unless the notorious winds of the Netherlands blew apart the peloton.

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 for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But do hurry, since it is an original there is only one of these to be had.  International shipping is available, too.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2576846---210122/Painting.html#.VZoghvlViko

Tour Stage 3: Not Enough Road

When Jan Barta (NetApp-Endura) sensed that the peloton was closing in, he jumped away from his compatriot, Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne-Seche) and pushed on in hopes of a solo victory.  Barta has proven his abilities to go it alone having just become the Time Trial Champion of the Czech Republic.  As he peaked under his arm, I am sure his thought had to be, "There is not enough road between my wheel and the peloton."  I am sure the sprinters where glad to see him as they crested this small rise, they don't like sprinting for second place on the stage.  This is an original small watercolor and ink postcard that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  In addition this painting will be part of my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order you copy, or to get involved in bringing this art of racing to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2397766---199992/Painting.html#.U7tLeMvD_IU

Tour Stage 3: Two Rookies of the Tour

Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne-Seche) and Jan Barta (NetApp-Endura) are both riding in the Tour de France for the first time, for that matter it is the first invitation to the Tour for either team as well.  Following the usual pattern of Wild Card teams trying to make their presence felt at the race, these two went off on a break away the very moment the race referee drop the flag the signaled the start of racing.  The pair would have wanted more riders to join them, but once they had put in the effort, it didn't make any sense to sit up and go back to the peloton.  With such a small number in the break the normally small percentage chance of success dropped to nearly nil.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and it will be included in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour".  Please visit  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour to learn more, pre-order your copy and maybe get involved in bring this race to print.  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2397738---199992/Painting.html#.U7s4M8_D_IU

Tour Stage 2: Time for Lunch

Every stage of a Pro Tour race, including the Tour de France, designates an two kilometer area somewhere near the middle of the stage where riders can get food bags, called "musettes" from the team Soigneurs.  A bicycle racer will burn roughly 4,000 calories in a single average stage of racing, keeping themselves fueled up can be a difficult task particularly when you realize that it needs to be nutritious, healthy and combined the correct balance of proteins and carbohydrates.  Most pro tour teams have a team chef who works with the team nutritionist.  On the other side of the musete, it needs to be tasty and to each riders liking.  Another side note in this image, you may notice the yellow race number on the back of David Lopez (Team Sky), it is worn by the team with the team lead, think of it as a Yellow Jersey for a team.  Jan Barta and Leopold Konig of NetApp-Endura are rummaging through their lunch bags, transferring the contents to bottle cages, pockets and stomachs, before getting back to the business of racing to Sheffield.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be part of my self published book, "Book de Tour" (to learn more about the book project and your opportunity to place a pre-order, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2397122---199992/Painting.html#.U7nIP8_D_IU