US Pro Challenge Stage 5: His First

Laurent Didier (Trek) was the first to cross the line in Breckenridge, taking the first stage win for Trek Factory Racing.  The team had just missed a stage win yesterday with crowd favorite, Jens Voigt, when Didier himself had tried to slow the peloton to prevent the catch of the retiring German.  Today was also the first race stage win of his career outside of his two Luxemburg National Championships, one in the time trial and one on the road.  (According to Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen)  One of the aids to watching a race in person are the giant video screens (just over the riders' shoulders) along the finishing straight, although today they weren't showing much racing due to the weather.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this 4"x6" painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But while you are there, why not take the time to browse all of the artwork on offer.  Be forewarned, there is quite a few cycling paintings, from three seasons of racing.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423740---201508/Painting.html#.U_jWD8_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 5: Whipping Through Town

It was a miserable day for racing in Colorado today.  It was equally miserable for the commentators and spectators who had no video coverage to watch.  The images are caught several ways all effected by the weather.  Helicopters that fly above the peloton not only couldn't see the riders due to the cloud cover peaks, they couldn't see the peaks themselves, not exactly the safest way to fly.  Without the transmitters in the sky, the images from the motorbikes were not visible either.  So it wasn't until the leaders swung through the town of Breckenridge, pass the stationary cameras did we get to see the rather wet, chilled men of the break away. The four to summit the high pass then dropped like stones into town before heading out for another climbing loop.  Janier Acevedo (Garmin Sharp) led his teammate, Ben King along with Laurent Didier (Trek) and Rob Britton (Smart Step) through the ski resort town in front of hundreds of rain soaked enthusiastic fans of cycling.  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.  This painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this 4"x6" painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423728---201508/Painting.html#.U_jTZc_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 3: Off Go the Colombians

In the last couple of years you can be sure that when the road points up there will be a Colombian rider on the front of the race.  Today these two countrymen from opposing teams seemed to chat at the back of the small, select peloton before jumping out of the back of the group.  David Alexander Jaramilo (Jamis) and Janier Alexis Acevedo (Garmin Sharp) had waited for the steepest section of the course they could fine hoping their hard acceleration and combined attack would be enough to win the day for one of them.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Do hurry though, it is a first come first served kind of a thing. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202014/2423130---201508/Painting.html#.U_avSM_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 1: Less Than Amused

The very select peloton was about to let Jens Voigt (Trek) steal their thunder and pulled the strong man back into their midst.  Although most of the true sprinters and three quarters of the riders in the race, were dropped in the chase of the fabled German.  With his teammate Janier Alexis Acevedo (Garmin Sharp) on the front, Tom Danielson gestured angerly for something.  Most likely he wanted more of his teammates on the front so he could gain as much time as possible.  Tucked onto his wheel was most of BMC, bringing their man and defending champion of the race, Tejay van Garderen into the business end of the petite peloton.  Van Garderen had Peter Stetina and Michael Schar, both of whom had shepherded the American through the most recent Tour de France.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  If you would like to purchase this painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/US%20Pro%20Challenge%202013/2421476---201508/Painting.html#.U_MHj8_D_IU

US Pro Challenge Stage 4: Closing the Deal

True to his word, TeJay did not challenge Aceverdo for the victory and after Aceverdo's victory salute the two reached out to shake hands to celebrate their mutual success.  TeJay gained enough time on all of the chasers to pull on the Yellow Jersey of race leader and put another 40 seconds into his biggest rival, Tom Danielson.  Behind these two, Mathias Frank was finally able to jump away from Danielson to strengthen his second place in the GC, he couldn't attack Danielson for fear of helping the Garmin Sharp rider bridge back up to his team leader, Van Garderen.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by bidding in a short three day auction on ebay.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the third US Pro Challenge.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251325003805?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

US Pro Challenge Stage 4: Making Deals

TeJay Van Garderen and Janier Aceverdo dropped Danielson and Frank on the wet technical descent of Bachelor's Gulch and made a deal to work together to gain time on the chasers.  TeJay needed Janier's help to gain as much time on his rivals and most likely agreed to let the Jamis rider take the stage and the time gained would put TeJay in yellow.  All of this was decided on the short climb up to Beaver's Creek in the pouring rain.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available in a short three day auction on ebay.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the third US Pro Challenge.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251324999124

US Pro Challenge Stage 4: For the Stage and the Jersey

Once the break had been caught and the Yellow Jersey had popped getting his GC man forward, it was time to race hard and climb fast.  Tom Danielson leads a very select group of TeJay Van Garderen, Janier Aceverdo and Mathias Frank up the high climb of Bachelor's Gulch.  The best placed in the overall is Frank, only eleven seconds down, so while he is the virtual yellow on the road he is there to help his team leader, Van Garderen.  By this time the riders were in a down pour of the cold rains of the high mountains as they climbed by the quaking Aspen trees of Colorado.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by bidding in a short three day auction on ebay.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the third US Pro Challenge.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251324991953