Tour, Stage 14: Fighting to Be Best of the Rest

Bora-Hansgrohe and Peter Sagan had higher hopes for the finale today, but they did add to his point total while the one guy he is chasing got none.  However, with the solo win by fifteen seconds of Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb), the peloton was racing for second place.  That honor of best of the rest went to Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott).  He was followed across the line by Simone Consonni (Cofidis) and then Peter Sagan.  Fifth and sixth went to Casper Pedersen (Sunweb) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) respectively.  With the peloton coming in all together there were no changes in any of the race classifications.  Sagan did move 33 points closer to Sam Bennett, but has another 43 points to catch the Irishman.  The Tour goes into the high Alps tomorrow, so it will be entertaining to see if any sprinters will be able to get points on the day.  The small advantage they have is that the intermediate sprint comes before any of the mountains of the day.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3699704-95-282744/Painting/fighting-to-be-best-of-the-rest-tdf20-89.html

Tour, Stage 14: Delivering the Counter Punch

Team Sunweb raced the perfect finale in Lyon today.  They sent the winner of stage 11 off the front, Marc Hirschi, to draw out the lead out men of the two remaining sprinters.  Then, as soon as Hirschi had beed caught, Soren Kraugh Andersen launched the counter move.  Andersen was able to hold off the chase for three kilometers, he actually increased his lead in the last 500 meters!  His victory by 15 seconds made for a less than perfect painted images, so this will have to do has his stage victory moment.  I feel like the team's return to the white jersey (it used to be red) has brought back their ability to win Tour stages again.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3699695-94-282744/Painting/delivering-a-counter-punch-tdf20-88.html

Tour, Stage 14: As Quickly as Possible

Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) had a very badly time mechanical, but he, his teammate Kenny Elissonde and the team mechanic all acted very quickly.  Ellisonde passed his bike first, and then when his team car could get to him, they made a very quick change onto Porte's back up bike.  With everyone's quick actions Porte was able to tuck back into the peloton.  The video of him re-entering the tail of the group was wild, it seemed he was traveling at three times the speed of the tail of the multi-bike beast.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3699670-93-282744/Painting/as-quickly-as-possible-tdf20-87.html

Tour, Stage 14: Racing to the Bottom

After the long hard stage, that was raced much faster than expected the peloton had two short steep climbs inside of the last twelve kilometers. Ineos-Grenadiers put Dylan Van Baarle, Michal Kwiatkowski and Luke Rowe on the front just in case their were attacks by those racing for the general classification.  Their team leader, Egan Bernal, lost about thirty seconds yesterday.  They didn't want to take the risk of losing any more time on a silly mistake.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2020/3699668-92-282744/Painting/racing-to-the-bottom-tdf20-86.html

Dauphine Stage 1: Starting His Defense

Chris Froome (Team Sky) by virtue of winning the Dauphine last year, was the last cyclist to roll down the start ramp to speed through the streets and tunnel of Lyon in search of a Yellow Jersey, the Malliot Jaune of race leader.  Through the course, he appeared to be staying even with Alberto Contrador (Tinkoff Saxo) who has the current race lead and riding just ahead of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), but it is the time at the finishing line that matters.  Froome's time was three seconds better than Contrador giving him the first leader's jersey of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine.  This is an original small 4"x6" 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.  This original art is only $50 USD and I do ship internationally.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386054---199476/Painting.html#.U6Bqos_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 1: Turning for Home

Under the watchful eyes of the Gendarme and the thousands of cycling fans along the streets of Lyon, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) makes a sharp right turn after crossing the river and heads into the final kilometer of this race of truth.  Nibali has faced some harsh criticism, most notably from his Director Sportif, Alexander Vinokurov (the retired racer that Astana was original built around) for failing to deliver the results his salary merits.  Nibali is the winner of the 2013 Giro d'Italia, but hasn't had a single race or stage victory so far in 2014.  Today didn't change the stage win stats, but he did put himself in the top ten going into a mountain top finishing stage 2.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4"x6" that is available at my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  To buy this piece of art from the 66th Criterium du Dauphine just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And I do ship internationally, cheaply.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386052---199476/Painting.html#.U6BpRc_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 1: New Best Time

Alberto Contrador (Tinkoff Saxo) came to the Dauphine with a purpose.  He is riding to test his form for the coming Tour de France, seeing how he will measure up against the 2013 winner of both the Tour and the Dauphine, along with the winner of the 2013 Giro d'Italia.  He was the first of the three big name contenders to cross the line in the opening salvo in Lyon, and he laid down the new best time for the 10 kilometer course.  This is an original 4"x6" watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com   For this original work of cycling art, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386048---199476/Painting.html#.U6BoAc_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 1: Tunnel Vision

Today's Time Trial through the heart of Lyon included a multi use tunnel under a hill side in the center of town.  The tunnel includes bike lanes (trust the Europeans to include this in their design) and to keep the cyclists visually entertained, the walls are used as video projection surfaces with a wide variety of light shows, video animation and changing colored lighting to amuse even the slowest moving cyclist.  David Miller (Garmin Sharp) had a different sort of tunnel vision has he focused on the task of hand, getting around the 10 kilometer course in as short of a time as humanly possible.  I doubt he even registered the visual entertainment as he speed through the tunnel at 40 kph.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available in a quick 3 day auction on ebay.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to bid on your piece of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine.  Do hurry, it is a very quick auction.

This painting is sold.

Dauphine Sage 1: Just Under Way

This title is doing double duty, first as a description of the action as Bob Jungles (Trek Factory Racing), the Time Trial Champion of Luxemborg, gets underway in the opening time trial of the Criterium du Dauphine, and two, as an apt description of my starting in on painting the eight coming days of racing through eastern France.  The Time Trial is often called the race of truth as each rider is competing on his own against the clock, no drafting, no strategy and no team helpers.  Jungles was one of the earlier riders to start out and posted the best time for the 10 kilometer course that stood until almost the final rider crossed the finishing line.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring four inches by six inches and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  They are a family owned (and run) American art supply company based in Wisconsin that provide exquisite materials for all sorts of art making projects.  In addition this painting is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com .  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to buy your piece of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386034-1-0-199476/Painting/Sports.html#.U6BlQc_D_IU

Tour Stage Fourteen: Whatever They Have Left

They break finally caught up with Julien Simon (he is the fourth rider in this painting) under the shadow of the red kite, they were digging deep into whatever energy they had left.  Bakelants has his head down trying to repeat the feat that placed him in the Malliot Jaune in the early stages of the 100th Tour de France.  Everyone here is on the rivot trying to pull out a stage win for all of their efforts in the long, long breakaway.  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 very own artistic piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182585---186227/Painting.html#.Ue3dkM_D_IU

Tour Stage Fourteen: After the Frenchman

TeJay Van Garderen drags Egoitz Garcia along with him as he goes in search of Simon who is just 15 seconds up the road.  Van Garderen his hoping to save his Tour that has been less than he hoped it would be, for that matter he is hoping to redeem Team BMC that just aren't having a stellar race since losing so much time in the Pyrenees.  It seems that all of Lyon had turned out to watch the Tour rip through town at speeds over 30 miles and hour.  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 very own piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2182583---186227/Painting.html#.Ue3cHs_D_IU