Giro, Stage 6: Having to Chase

With the Maglia Rosa on the back of their team leader, Rohan Dennis, it fell to BMC to chase down the largest break of this year's Giro.  With roughly 18 riders up the road, it was going to be a hard chase with a rather large spike in the tail of the stage.  Jurgen Roelandts looks behind to see that he has Francisco Bentoso and Jean-Pierre Drucker on his wheel.  Astana is getting ready to lend a hand in the chase, with Alexey Lutsenko joining the black and red of BMC.  There is still 45 kilometers to catch the leaders, but the last 15 of that is up the infamous Etna volcano.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/101st-Giro-dItalia/3160760-25-249297/PaintingHaving-to-Chase--G18-25.html

Paris Roubaix: Poursuivants

This trio of Dimitri Claeys (Cofidis), Gianni Moscon (Sky) and Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal), recognized that they had missed the possible move of the day and took it upon themselves to go chase it down.  Behind them is a flotilla of motos including the neutral service moto sponsored by Mavic, and the TV cameraman.  As always, fans were lining nearly every inch of this eleventh section of pave.  All along this section were small signs thanking Tom Boonen for his years of cycling entertainment.

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-Classics-/2947356-392-195767/PaintingPoursuivants-PR17-6.html

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Not Giving Up

The last four members of the early break, Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal), Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie), Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Maxime Farazijn (Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise), simply refuse to sit up and wait for the chasers behind.  The foursome held off their captures for over twenty kilometers hovering around 15 seconds gap between the two groups.  Finally, the strong legs behind over came the resolve of the tired ones of the break away compatriots.

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%20/2926081-332-195767/PaintingNot%20Giving%20Up%20KBK17-5.html#.WLOaTvkrLIU

Doha 2016, Elite Men's Road Race: Classic Style

For those of you who regularly follow my cycling art, you'll know how much I enjoy a title that has multiple interpretations.  This is just such a title.  Does it refer to the classic styling of the Belgium team jersey, the use of racing techniques employed in the Classics (mainly raced in Northern Europe in the Spring), or from the classic formation of the echelon?

A few kilometers before the peloton hit the northern most point of the course, the speed suddenly shot up as teams positioned themselves for the turn into the crosswinds.  Belgium hit the front and using the skill they have perfected riding on the winding flat lands of the North, split the peloton to splinters.  Surprisingly, the Dutch and the Germans missed the move as the main peloton broke into two majors pieces, with others in groups of ten or less scrambling behind.  The Belgium team was being led by Jasper Stuyven, but most of the team was here, including Jurgen Roelandts, Tom Boonen and Greg Van Avermaet astride his golden bike that celebrates his Olympic Gold Medal.  The Norwegian sprinters Edvald Boasson Hagen and Alexander Kristoff were among others that made the first group.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2866417-59-227958/PaintingClassic%20Style%20Doha2016-Greig-Leach.html#.WAT54-ArLIU

Tour, Stage 7: Getting Organized

The break away had quite a time getting established today.  The first two formations included the former wearer of the Maillot Vert, Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), the teams of the two men ahead of him in that competition, were not going to let him get the intermediate sprint points on offer.  Once the World Champion was back in the peloton, this group was given the go ahead, oddly one of their number included the Maillot Jaune of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC).  It was a large group being headed up by the earlier King of the Mountains, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) along with Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal) and three riders from Cannondale-Drapac; Alex Howes, Matti Bieschel and Sebastien Lageveld.  Stuyven is helping himself to a cold water bottle from the neutral service moto sponsored by Vittel.

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%202016/2820952-41-224974/PaintingGetting%20Organized%20TdF41-Greig-Leach.html#.V3_10LgrLIU

Gent-Wevelgem: Help Me Out

With rider after rider attacking the group and the others leaving it to Geraint Thomas (Sky) to chase them all down, the Brit looks back over his shoulder, trying to get a little help.  He knows he needs to bring back Luca Paolini (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) back or there is no chance for victory.  Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal) doesn't have much gas left after his solo attempt and Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx-Quickstep) isn't going to help chase down his teammate.  Apparently, Sep Vanmarck (LottoNL Jumbo) wasn't in the mood to help out either.  Thomas may be a victim of his own success and that of his team in the early races of this season.

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 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%20/2534792---195767/Painting.html#.VRmOCvnF-xU

Gent-Wevelgem: Up & Over

The wide open flat roads of Belgium are broken up by short, brutally steep bergs.  The final of nine climbs on the course was the Kennelberg with sections of 28 percent gradient.  Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal) actually managed to increase his gap on the six man group of chasers behind as he scaled the cobblestone wall past the cheering fans.

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 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%20/2534744---195767/Painting.html#.VRmIs_nF-xU

Gent-Wevelgem: A Long Lonely Road

Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal) went out for a long, long solo break.  As he came out of the small town of Dranouter, he had roughly two minutes on the chase group behind and a very long open road stretching out before him.  It is a tall order to stay off the front by one self, but Roelandts wasn't going to let the odds dissuade him.  While a break away rarely wins the day, Jens Voigt explains the effort, "If you go in a break you have a 10% chance of winning the race, if you don't, you have a zero percent chance."

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 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%20/2534742---195767/Painting.html#.VRmHYfnF-xU

Tour Down Under: Make It Fifteen, Stage 4

The big German sprinter, Andre Greipel (Lotto) finally had the right approach to the finish line to show why he is one of the fast men of the pro peloton.  Not quite having the balance for the two arm salute, he celebrated his fifteenth stage victory in the Tour Down Under with a fist pump and a firm grip on the handle bars.  He managed to just nip Elia Viviani (Cannondale) and Nathan Haas (Garmin Sharp) fortunately for Cadel Evans, Simon Gerrans wasn't able to pick up anymore bonus seconds on the stage.  His lead-out man, Jurgen Roelandts, did such a strong ride that he managed to cross the line in third on the stage. So that leaves the Ochre leader's jersey on the shoulders of Evans by seven seconds.  This is original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website, www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2298011---194179/Painting.html#.UuNGDc8o7IU