Giro, Stage 2: They're Back There

The first road stage of the 101st Giro d'Italia featured the required early break.  Today it was three riders who got off the front, but it seemed that the sprinters were in no mood to let them get to far up the road.  After the time trial riders were very close together on the General Classification so the time bonuses at the intermediate sprints could well effect who would take over the Maglia Rosa from Tome Dumoulin (Team Sunweb).  Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal - although they race as Lotto Fix-all at the Giro) peers over his shoulder trying to catch a glimpse of the closing peloton.  All three were hoping to stay away to the top of the only catagorized climb (the King of the Mountain jersey would belong to whomever gets to the top first).  Leading the trio is Guillaume Boivin (Israel Cycling Academy) followed by Davide Ballerini (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermac).  Alas, none of these claimed the Maglia Azzure of the KOM competition.  So it goes.

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/3158038-6-249297/PaintingThey're-Back-There--G18-6.html

Binche-Chimay-Binche: Way Off the Front

It was the duo of Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) and Vegard Stake Laengen (IAM Cycling) who got way off the front of the peloton.  The two built up over five minutes on the FDJ lead peloton on the narrow roads of Belgium.  The two may not have had much hope in holding of the peloton, but neither did they want to ride the race in complete anonymity either.

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/2861528-33-206768/PaintingWay%20Off%20the%20Front%20CBC1-Greig-Leach.html#.V_UHhfArLIU

Tour de France Stage 8: Getting Cheeky

It seems that the other teams saw Peter Sagan's (Tinkoff Saxo) suggestion after the sprint a couple of days ago.  The suggestion that those that had pulled off of the front at the intermediate sprint should work together to keep growing the advantage on the non-sprinting peloton.  While Sagan was part of this move, it was Michal Golas (Etixx-Quickstep), Bartosz Huzarski (Bora-Argon 18) and Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) are the once that gain the largest gab on the napping peloton,  Huzarski had been in the original break, both Bak and Golas had worked for the respective sprinters and then just kept going with their high speed.  I am amused by the Grandmother with the pink umbrella on the side of the road.  She was shielding herself from the sun, not the rain.  With age comes experience.

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, in fact all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this painting for only $60 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, since this is a one of a kind original, once it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2579302---210122/Painting.html#.VaGBRflViko

Ronde van Vlaanderen: Up We Go

To paraphrase Phil Ligget, Ronde van Vlaanderen is a race with quite a sting in the tail.  Virtually all of the climbing occurs in the final 70 kilometers of the long, frequently cobbled race of 264 kilometers.  As per usual, an early break went off, but soon fell apart when these two, Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) and Damien Gaudin (AG2R) road off the front and up the Kalanrieberg.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the family run art supply company, www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to purchase this piece of original art for only $50 USD.  And yes, international shipping is available.

If you are enjoying discovering bike racing through my writings and paintings be sure to search out my recently published, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"   Just google the title to find it through your local online bookseller.  It is available world wide so you should be able to avoid international shipping.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2538062-225-222-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.VSMQmfnF-xU

Tour Down Under Final Stage: Less of a Threat

The first break away of the day was quickly brought back into the peloton, mainly because Orica-GreenEdge and Daryl Impey wanted to gain more points for his Sprinter's Jersey.  Once he had crossed the line almost ensuring his standing on the podium at the end of the Tour, this group slid off the front while the peloton regrouped.  While this is a strong group of riders, Peter Kennaugh (Sky), Lars Boom (Astana), Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) Christopher Juul Jensen (Tinkoff Saxo) and Alex Howes (Cannondale Garmin), none of them represented a threat to any of the leader's jerseys.  With only the sprinters needing to chase the group down, they were in with a chance of taking the break all of the way 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 have enjoyed reading this coverage of the Tour Down Under, be sure to check out my new book, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France".  You can order your copy from the publisher's website here, http://www.dementimilestonepublishing.com/#!book-de-tour/c1nth

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2501686---194179/Painting.html#.VMSg2dg5DIU

Tour Stage 5: On to the Cobbles

After months of discussion and kilometers of racing the peloton hit the wet muddy cobblestones hard.  The sections of pave lived up to their billing and the stage was in for some deviations from the script all of the pundits had provided.  Normally these roads are raced in one day Classics and the men that line up on race day are specialists in riding the challenging road surfaces, but in the Tour de France there are a wide variety of specialties vying for victory and Yellow.  The peloton broke into quite a few pieces as crashes, slippery roundabouts, strong winds and fatigue took there tolls on the hard men of the Tour.  With a break away up the road the vastly reduced peloton hit the second section of pave under the leadership of Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) and Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin Pro Cycling), they were accompanied by Sebastien Langeveld, Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) and surprisingly the little Italian in Yellow, Vincenzo Niblai, and his Astana teammates, Lieuwe Westra and Jakob Fuglsang.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  It will be included in my soon to be self published visual telling of the 101st Tour de France in "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy or to get involved in bringing the race to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  To purchase this particular painting you can follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2399268---199992/Painting.html#.U72x88vD_IU

Tour Stage 3: Revving It Up for Greipel

The peloton reached the outskirts of London with the two man break still up the road.  Astana had no real interest in catching the pair since they were over ten minutes down on the Yellow Jersey on the back of Vincenzo Nibali.  I was surprised to learn that it is his first "Yellow Fleece" in his career, watching him dominate the 2013 Giro d'Italia I assumed he had done well in the Tour before.  With Astana not trying to catch the break away, it was up to the sprinter's teams to do the work.  So it was Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) that brought his team to the front for their man, Andre Greipel, to reel in the escapees.  Shortly after this, he could be seen gesturing somewhat rudely to the other sprinters' teams to get up front and do some of the work.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  In addition, this work will be included in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order, or to help be part of bring the art of cycling to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  If you would like 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%202014/2397760---199992/Painting.html#.U7tHfM_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: The First to Attack

Once the first lap had been completed and the honor and respect had been paid to the Maglia Rosa of Nairo Quintana (Movistar) it was time to get down to racing.  The first two, to quote Phil Ligget, to turn a pedal in anger where Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) and Svein Tuft (Orica GreenEdge) under the watchful eye of the following TV Moto.  All of the racing is covered by multiple camera men on the backs of motorcycles following the racers most every move, combined with two camera mounted helicopters and some stationary cameras at the finishing line.  It is the rare sporting event that will cover hundreds of kilometers of open road rather than being limited to a stadium.  Tuft won the Maglia Rosa on the first day of road racing in Belfast and spent time as the Lanterne Rouge (the last on the general classification), but went on the attack to show the jersey of Orica GreenEdge who are down to just two riders.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4"x6" and is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not take the time to browse around all of the artwork on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373974---198213/Painting.html#.U4uIZMvD_IU

Paris-Nice Stage 3: Lotto Has a Dig

Lars Bak and his Lotto-Belisol teammates decides that a little dig into the cross winds might liven up the peloton.  The peloton had almost put themselves to sleep keeping the three man break away out in front by just around two minutes.  With a break away out in front the sprinter's teams leave them out front to keep other attacks from going up the road, so the peloton sat up until Lars decided to light it up.  Astana, IAM Cycling and FDJ were not caught unaware and quickly jumped onto the big man's wheel.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2326225---195767/Painting.html#.Ux_Jps_D_IU

Tour Stage Fourteen: Pure Joy

Sprinting from the rear of the break, Matteo Trentin, surprises everyone (including himself) and gets the win ahead of two sprinters, Albasini and Rojas.  That makes the third win for Omega Pharma Quickstep and two in a row for the team.  The big winner however, was Andrew Talansky, who pulled back almost seven minutes on the Yellow Jersey and all of the GC contenders, climbing way up the leader board into 12th place.  It was good to see Talansky pay back the hard work of David Miller and the faith of the team.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.  Too bad the French couldn't get their first stage win, tomorrow is their big day, Bastille Day, when every French cyclist wants to be victorious in the Tour.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182589---186227/Painting.html#.Ue3fD8_D_IU

Giro Day Fourteen: Last Climb of the Day

The early break away of eight riders has been reduced to these three, Boem for Bardiani, Lastras for Moviestar and Lars Bak for Lotto.  They have worked hard all day, successfully attacked their fellow break riders, and held off the second group of chasers to come after them.  All that remains is to beat the peleton to the finishing line.  I am thinking you can guess just how successful that final goal was.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and is available for purchase through my artist website,  just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2152761---184157/Painting.html#.UaQNu8vD_IU