Dauphine, Stage 3: Up and Chasing

 I feel like everytime I paint a race that includes Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) I paint some version of this image.  Again he was caught up in a realitively small crash with about 14 kilometers to go.  While he was quickly back up and onto his spare bike, it was a long hard chase to get back to the peloton.  He had half of the team to help him work his way back through the cars (and his own team car).  It was Nathan Hass, Kenneth Van Bilson, and Pierre-Luc Perichon who led the way.  I believe the rest of the team was behind having gone down with their team leader.  This race has been fairly crash free, although today saw the abandoment of Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) due to an early crash.  Hopefully, Martin will not meet the same fate over night.

This is the thirteenth painting of this year's race, I sure hope I didn't jinx the French favorite.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3814723-97-185083/Painting/up-and-chasing-cd21-13.html

Binche-Chimay-Binche: Making Their Escape

With the leaders on the road just over a minute up the road, it was time for the opportunist to jump free of the peloton.  This trio lead off by Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis) managed to open a small gap.  Behind another foursome was hoping they could bridge across to Van Bilsen, Floris Gerts (BMC) who is tucked in behind the Cofidis rider and the man from Veranda's Willems.  Sorry I was unable to discover who he was, they got reeled back in before I could catch sight of his bib number.

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/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2861579-35-206768/PaintingMaking%20Their%20Escape%20CBC3-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UfC_ArLIU

Tour de France, Final Stage: Away with 20 Seconds

The peloton must have heard Jens Voigt's complaints about the lack of aggression on the Champs Elysees.  No sooner had he bemoaned the tranquility of the loops through Paris than did the attacks start flying off the front.  As each group was caught another one would try their luck.  This trio of Florian Vachon (Bretagne Seche), Nelson Filipe Santos (Lampre Merida) and Kenneth Van Bilsen managed to open up the largest gab thus far on the Champs.  While twenty seconds is nothing...  It was more than anyone had gotten thus far.  Plus this would be the last chance for the LCL sponsored time keepers to show the time gabs in the 102nd Tour de France.

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, www.richesonart.com.  They are a small family run art supply company that has some of the best paints and materials I have ever used, like these watercolors for example.  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 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since this is an original one of a kind work of art, when it has sold, it is gone.  Therefore, I wouldn't recommend delaying your purchase.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2586323-146-210122/Painting.html#.VbYxYvlVikr

Tour de France Stage 10: Headed for a Big Climb

Coming out of yesterday's Rest Day, the Tour organizers gave the riders a chance to get their legs back under them with a long relatively flat stage with a very big climb at the end.  This pair of Pierrick Fodrigo (Bretagne Seche) and Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis) had built a lead of almost fifteen minutes on the peloton, but as the Col de Soudet neared, so did the chasing peloton.  Fodrigo's team director pulled up along side to let him know just how much of a gap they had, and what would be needed at the base to stay away to the top.

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, www.richesonart.com.  They are a small family run art supply company with some fabulous supplies for artists and crafters alike.  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.  Don't delay, this is an original painting, so there is only one like it.  When it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2580500---210122/Painting.html#.VaVp-PlViko

Tour de France Stage 6: Just Ten More

Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis) had let Daniel Teklehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka) take the final King of the Mountain points on the road, thus putting the Eritrean into the Maillot Pois.  This is the first time that a black African (or an Eritrean) has ever pulled on a classification leader's jersey in any Grand Tour.  But once Teklehaimanet and Perrig Quemeneur (Europcar) had dropped their pace, Van Bilsen attacked them in an effort to go for a solo victory.  After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

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.  They are a family run art supply company located in the northern midwest United States.  You can find them on the web at www.richesonart.com.  You can find this painting and many others at my artist website at www.greigleach.com and you can purchase this painting for only $60 USD while you are there.  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.  Remember, this is an original work of art, so when it is gone, it is gone.  Don't delay, you don't want to miss your chance to have a unique treasure from the 102nd Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578488---210122/Painting.html#.VZ7LpPlViko

Tour de France Stage 6: Who Got That One?

Very little is given in the Tour de France, it must all be earned.  While I am sure that his breakaway companions knew that Daniel Teklehaimanet (MTN-Qhubeka) desperately wanted the Maillot Pois, it doesn't mean that they weren't going to fight for it to.  As Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis) and Teklehaimanet sprinted to the summit of the Cote de Pourville-sur-Mer, neither was sure who had taken the sole KOM point on offer.  The duo checked with each other, but it was the Tour organizer's computer that awarded the point to Teklehaimanet.  That made it two out of two climbs on the way to claiming the Polka Dot Jersey.  At this point he is tied with Roaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) but if he wins the final climb of the day, it will be his outright.

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.  They are a family run art supply company located in the northern midwest United States.  You can find them on the web at www.richesonart.com.  You can find this painting and many others at my artist website at www.greigleach.com and you can purchase this painting for only $60 USD while you are there.  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578464---210122/Painting.html#.VZ7FTPlViko

Tour de France Stage 6: Three in a Row

Perrig Quemeneur (Europcar) put himself into yet another break away in the opening week of the Tour de France.  Quemeneur was joined in the effort, that went away with just five kilometers gone, by Daniel Teklehamanent (MTN-Qhubeka) and Kenneth Van Bilsen (Cofidis).  Teklehamanent started the day with the plan of fulfilling a childhood dream, a dream of wearing the Mailliot Pois in a Tour de France.  All he had to do was get over all three Category 4 climbs first.  As his teammate, Tyler Farrar, said, "Easy to say on the bus, an entirely different think to accomplish out on the road."  But accomplish it he did, making him the first black African to wear a King of the Mountain Jersey in one of the Grand Tours.  Van Bilsen's presence in the break marks the first time that the French team, Cofidis as showed their bright red kit to the TV cameras in this 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.  They are a family run art supply company located in the northern midwest United States.  You can find them on the web at www.richesonart.com.  You can find this painting and many others at my artist website at www.greigleach.com and you can purchase this painting for only $60 USD while you are there.  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2578442---210122/Painting.html#.VZ7CEvlViko