Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Making Sure

It may have been Matteo Trentin (Quickstep) who opened the sprint to the line in Kuurne, but it was Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) who finished it out.  He had the speed and the time to look behind, just making sure that neither Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) nor Luke Rowe (Sky) were closing in.  Sagan claimed the win after being disappointed with his second place finish yesterday.  Sagan seems to have never been affected by the "curse of the Rainbow Jersey;"  Stuyven had to settle for one step lower on the podium than 2016, and Luke Rowe finished the day in third.  The original five just managed to stay in front of the chasers, and they in turn just held on ahead of the peloton.

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%20/2926092-335-195767/PaintingMaking%20Sure.html#.WLOqJvkrLIU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Looking Them Over

With the red kite marking the final kilometer of the race in the distance, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) looked over those off the front with him.  Sagan was not in the best position to launch an attack, but the others, Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal), Luke Rowe (Sky), Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo) and Matteo Trentin (Quickstep), weren't about to hand any advantage to the two time Road World Champion.  While jocking for position, the quintet risked slowing enough to let the chasing peloton sweep them up thus dashing all of their chances for claiming victory.

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%20/2926090-334-195767/PaintingLooking%20Them%20Over%20KBK17-7.html#.WLOlyfkrLIU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: One of These Five

It was these five very talented riders who managed to ride away from everyone else on the road.  The group included the Rainbow Jersey of Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Luke Rowe (Sky), Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal), Matteo Trentin (Quickstep) and the winner twelve months ago, Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo).  They have 36 seconds on the chasing group, which in turn has a minute on the peloton.  Given that there are only 13 kilometers left to race, it is relatively safe to assume that the winner of the 2017 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne will be one of these five men.

I have had the pleasure of riding in parts of Europe, so I quickly recognized the red bike lane just to the right of the racers.  My home town is trying to catch up with this kind of cycling infrastructure, but we may have a way to go.

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%20/2926088-333-195767/PaintingOne%20of%20These%20Five%20KBK17-6.html#.WLOg0PkrLIU

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

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: A Very Sticky Bottle

The title of this painting refers to the trick of the sport director holding onto the bottle longer than is necessary to give his rider a boost.  The race directors can dock time if they deemed the act provided an advantage to the racer, they can even disqualify them from the race.  Luke Durbridge (Orica-Scott) may have held on too long, but it did nothing to help in gain an unfair advantage.  With a day of over 200 kilometers of racing in the cold, I am sure all of those out on their bikes were hoping for a rest of any sort.

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%20/2926080-331-195767/PaintingA%20Very%20Sticky%20Bottle%20KBK17-4.html#.WLOVwfkrLIU

Kuurne=Brussels-Kuurne: Just Getting Back

While Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) busied himself loading up on drinks and energy bars, Baptiste Planckaert (Katusha) managed to catch back up with the chasing group of favorites.  Planckaert had crashed with his teammate Tony Martin and another rider, neither of whom were able to rejoin the business end of the race.

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%20/2926077-330-195767/PaintingJust%20Getting%20Back%20KBK17-3.html#.WLOQwfkrLIU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: On the Hunt

The constant turns, short climbs and sections of pave had split the peloton into numerous groups,  With a break away of roughly eight guys up the road, it was the second group of twenty that held most of the favorites.  At this point, they were being lead by Tony Martin (Katusha) sporting his new team colors, coincidentally, it was his former teammate, Dries Devenyns (Quickstep) who had just swung of the front to let Martin pull the peloton along.  Unfortunately, Martin crashed shortly after I painted this, skinning his face on the asphalt, and dropping back into the following peloton.  His crashed was caused by the forming echelon and the crowd of riders trying to find shelter from the wind.

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%20/2926072-329-195767/PaintingOn%20the%20Hunt%20KBK17-2.html#.WLONPvkrLIU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Back in Europe

After racing below and near the equator, the peloton has now begun its campaign on the roads of northern Europe.  The riders face short steep climbs, many covered with pave and line with enthusiastic cold cycling fans cheering them on.  With a traditional early break up the road, it fell to Ian Stannard (Sky) - followed by Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) - to pull the peloton along in pursuit across the roads of Belgium.

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%20/2926065-328-195767/PaintingBack%20in%20Europe%20KBK17-a.html#.WLOIqfkrLIU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Taking It Alone

Surprising perhaps even himself, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) was able to hold off the scrambling chase group and grab a rare solo victory in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.  This race with its relatively smooth flat 50 kilometers is normally a race for the sprinters and is noted for its group sprints.  Today, however, it was proven that nothing in cycling is a given, and if you have the will and the legs, you can take the race in hand on your own.  It doesn't hurt if the group chasing is also hoping to get those further behind back into the race.

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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Hoping to Go Alone

With the break away sucked back into the fold by the leading group of chasers it was time to launch the counter attack.  It was Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) that decided that he had the legs to go from almost 20 kilometers out.  Before he attacked, Pim Ligthart (Lotto Soudal) had been disrupting the flow of the group trying to slow it down enough so that his team leader could catch back onto the tail of the leading 15.  When Stuyven went, Ligthart happened to be on his wheel, given the Lotto Soudal rider's objective, he allowed the gap to open and none behind were ready to put in the chase. Nor willing to drag everyone else along to catch the fleeing man from Belgium.

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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Willing to Work

A smaller group of 15 riders that included some big names had used the final climb of the day and the strong cross winds to get away from the main peloton, but still had a few remaining members of the early break up the road.  Both Trek-Segafredo and Etixx-Quickstep had the luxury of having two men in the group.  Boy Van Poppel (Trek-Segafredo) was working for his teammate, Jasper Stuyven, but Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quickstep) was willing to share the work with his domestique, Julien Vermote.  Boonen had missed the move in yesterday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and wasn't willing to let the opportunity for victory elude him again.

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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Fueling Up

With the final cobbled obstacles done and dusted, it was time for teams to get their sprinters organized and to make sure that they would have the energy to power through to the line in Kuurne.  Florian Senechal (Cofidis) dropped back to his team car along with his sprinter, Nacer Bouhanni, to grab a few power bars and to shed some extra layers.  By this point the cold air was being super ceded by the generate body warmth of the effort of the race.

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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Half the Road

In the northern reaches of Europe (and many other places in the world) the winds sweeping across the wide open flat lands can really effect the course of the race.  When the winds come at the riders from one side or the other, the peloton will form echelons (where each following rider is behind and to the side of the preceding cyclists - trying to find the spot in his draft).  Teams will move over to allow only their teammates to be able to find the sweet spot for the draft, leaving those behind to work just that much harder to keep up.  The Belgium team Lotto Soudal knew this tactic all too well, and employed it to perfection today, splitting the peloton apart and ridding themselves of some of the competing sprinters or rival teams.

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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Going Early

Perhaps ruing having too many competitors at the end of yesterday's Omloop Het Niuewsblad, Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) hit the front early, leaving all but Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) behind.  Sagan used the penultimate climb of Oude Kwaremont to gain a few seconds on the others, but with almost 70 kilometers left to race, it was surely too early to put his nose into the wind.

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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: On Tiny Roads

The roads that the peloton are trying to squeeze onto in Belgium are smaller than the bike trails around my adoptive hometown of Richmond, Virginia.  I get nervous doing a group ride of thirty riders on the Capital Trail, so I can't image what it is like to ride out with almost 200 riders on these roads.  That alone would be enough to make me fight to be in an early break.  This group got away just after the end of the neutral zone.  Tucked onto the back of the group is Jaap De Man (Team3M), along with Bjorn Thurau (Wanty Group-Gobert) and Sebastien Turgot (AG2R) to mention a few of those laboring off the front of 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.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2721495-258-195767/Painting.html#.VtPpU_krLIU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Got It Right

After the very disappointing results of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for Team Etixx-Quickstep, the entire team worked very hard to make sure that their fast man, Mark Cavendish, would be the first to cross the line in Kuurne.  I'm quite sure the entire team got a very stern talking to over night between the two races.  It does help that the man vying for the win is the "Manx Missile" another one of the former UCI World Road Racing Champions on the team.  Cavendish just got around Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) and managed to hold of Elia Viviani (Team Sky) to get it right for Etixx-Quickstep today.

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.  If you enjoy reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork, be sure to discover my recently publish book on the Tour de France, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  It is available worldwide through most online book retailers.  Just google the title to discover where you can get your copy, often without international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2519554---195767/Painting.html#.VPSsYfnF-xU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Surprising Them All

Philippe Gilbert (BMC) is the king of last minute solo runs to the line.  He is a former UCI World Road Racing Champion because of a late attack just like the one he launched today with just 5 kilometers left to race.  One has to be a very strong rider to pull this move off.  It requires being able to ride away from the lead out trains of the sprinters' teams, who are riding as fast as possible to prevent just such an attack.  Gilbert made is move sliding past Team Sky's train as they were concentrating on the lead out trains of Etixx-Quickstep and Katusha.

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.  If you enjoy reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork, be sure to discover my recently publish book on the Tour de France, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  It is available worldwide through most online book retailers.  Just google the title to discover where you can get your copy, often without international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2519542---195767/Painting.html#.VPSqNPnF-xU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Little Help?

The Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne is not a ProTour level race so the organizers, in an attempt to level the playing field, do not allow the teams and riders to use two-way race radios.  Instead the competitors must rely on their instincts, the time keepers chalkboard, and dropping back to their team cars to learn what is taking place in the race.  To inform the race referee that he needs his team car, Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling) raises his arm to call for a little help, be it mechanical problem, a drink, or a tete a tete.  Just ahead of Enger is Matteo Trentin (Etixx-Quickstep) who is starting to work his way back to the front of the peloton after speaking with his team director.

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.  If you enjoy reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork, be sure to discover my recently publish book on the Tour de France, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  It is available worldwide through most online book retailers.  Just google the title to discover where you can get your copy, often without international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2519538---195767/Painting.html#.VPSn_PnF-xU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Slipping Away

If you are confident that you can beat the sprinters at their own game, the only option is to try and go for a solo (or group) breakaway.  To quote the recently retired Jens Voigt, "Going in the break you may only have a 10% chance of winning the stage, but if you don't, you have a 0% percent chance." With the likes of Mark Cavendish (Etixx-Quickstep) in the peloton, and he made the split, the only choice for Kris Boeckmans (Lotto Soudal) was to go for the long solo to the line.

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.  If you enjoy reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork, be sure to discover my recently publish book on the Tour de France, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  It is available worldwide through most online book retailers.  Just google the title to discover where you can get your copy, often without international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2519532---195767/Painting.html#.VPSlb_nF-xU

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Ramping Up the Pace

Tom Boonen (Etixx-Quickstep) hit the front of the peloton and raise the pace just that much more. Today Boonen shifted from protected rider to "super" domestique.  It may well have been in order to pay back the team for his rather disappointing finish yesterday in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.  Joining Boonen at the pointy end of the pack were Maarten Tjallingii (Lotto NL Jumbo), Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) and Phillippe Gilbert (BMC).  With the early break back in the fold, it was time to ramp up the pace to discourage any one else from having a go at the favorites in 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.  This painting 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.  If you enjoy reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork, be sure to discover my recently publish book on the Tour de France, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  It is available worldwide through most online book retailers.  Just google the title to discover where you can get your copy, often without international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2519508---195767/Painting.html#.VPSHE_nF-xU