Tour, Stage 13: Where's Peter?

As they rode under the three kilometers to go banner, Marcus Burghardt (Bora-Hansgrohe) look back over his shoulder for his sprinter, Peter Sagan.  All he could see was the Trek-Segafredo train being lead by the former King of the Mountians, Toms Skujins.  Behind were the Maillot Jaune, riders from EF Education First, but Sagan was no where to be seen.

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/Tour-de-France-2018/3190731-72-251072/PaintingWhere's-Peter?-T18-71.html

Paris-Roubaix: Into the Arenberg

Both Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and his teammate, Marcus Burghardt, led the peloton on to the most famous, and difficult section of pave through the forest of Arenberg.  Riding tight on the wheel of the German National Champion are riders from Trek-Segafredo, EF Education First and Bahrain-Merida.  The entire course is now line with thousand of screaming fans of cycling and of the hell that is Paris-Roubaix.  For the hearty, they have already seen a junior's version and the professional women's peloton ahead of the main event.  With still another 93 kilometers to race, about 25 kilometers of pave, it is still most anyone's race.  I must say though, that Bora-Hansgrohe seems to be setting it up for the World Champion, Peter Sagan.

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/Spring-Classics-/3141647-408-195767/PaintingInto-the-Arenberg-PR18-4.html

Tour, Final Stage: An American in Paris

As soon as I saw the American, Lawson Craddock (Cannondale-Drapac) go into the first serious break away on the Champs, I knew what the title would be.  Now I just had to find the right image to go with it.  For those who aren't aware, Gene Kelly, did a wonderful film shot in the 50's about an artist who moved to Paris to follow his dream.  Craddock is following his dream.  Every bike racer no matter how amateur dreams of racing on the cobbled boulevard of Paris, I know I did.  Craddock actually got to see that dream come true, and he certainly make sure his family saw him (along with every American cycling fan watching at home).  Joining Craddock was Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Daniel Teklehaimanet (Dimension Data), Brice Feillu (Fortuneo Vital Concept) and Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida).  The other rider who is hidden right now is Jeremy Roy (FDJ).  The group stretched their lead out to almost thirty seconds before the sprinters' teams decided to shut it down.

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%202016/2828453-158-224974/PaintingAn%20American%20in%20Paris%20TdF159-Greig-Leach.html#.V5U-l7grLIU

Tour, Stage 11: Catching Back On

As I said, this stage has been plagued by little crashes, nothing serious, but enough to catch riders out.  Tejay van Garderen (BMC) managed to get stopped as several riders went down over a speed bump in a small town.  The bump in the road was right before a sharp right hand turn and the braking for the turn, the compression of the peloton through the bend and the lump in the road sent a few riders to the ground.  It was painful to watch Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) flip over his handlebars.  It seems the speed bump and too much pressure on the front break had the Polish National Champion landing hard on his chest.  Van Garderen was quickly brought back up to the tail of the peloton by one of his hardworking domestiques, Marcus Burghardt.

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.

To buy this painting, just follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2823061-74-224974/PaintingCatching%20Back%20On%20TdF74-Greig-Leach.html#.V4aZS7grLIU

Tour, Stage 2: Chasing or Protecting?

With the gap to the break away foursome barely budging, the question needs to be asked, "Is the peloton chasing, or just protecting their favored riders?"  Dennis Rohan (BMC) went to the front with his other domestiques, Michael Schar and Marcus Burghardt, to lift the pace a bit, but it seems more that they were interested in keeping their twin team leaders, Tejay van Garderen and Richie Porte safe, rather than actually chasing the escapees down.  The other team riding at the front where the boys from Cannondale-Drapac, with Ramunas Navardauskas leading the way for them.

On a side note, Dimension Data not only sponsor a team (currently holding the Yellow Jersey) but as a race sponsor, they have their signage along the side of the course.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2817835-10-224974/PaintingChasing%20or%20Protecting?%20TdF10-Greig-Leach.html#.V3lUt7grLIU

Dauphine, Stage 4: Leading the Chase

With just one rider left to catch, Marcus Burghardt (BMC) went to the front and led the chase to pull Maxime Bouet (Etixx-Quickstep).  Tucked onto the wheel in his borrowed Polka Dot Jersey of the King of the Mountains is his teammate, Richie Porte.  Behind the BMC duo was the lead out train for Orica-GreenEdge headed up by Christian Meier.  Behind them was the start of Nacer Bouhanni's Cofidis lead out.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2805682-61-185083/Painting.html#.V1pAG_krLIU

Tour Down Under: A Change at the Front

With the penultimate climb of the day the team of last year's over all victor, Rohan Dennis (BMC) came to the front to lift the pace and shuck some of the contenders.  BMC had yet to put their noses in the wind, but must have felt like today was the day to set up Dennis or perhaps their new rider, Richie Porte.  Porte took second last year, just two seconds behind his new teammate, Dennis.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using watercolors from www.richesonart.com and 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.  In addition, be sure to check out my new book, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships" available now at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2674759-70-194179/Painting.html#.Vp_R_fkrLIU

Tour Stage 5: Wet, Cold and Bumpy

The peloton may have avoided the traditional rainy days of England, but it caught up with them on the roads of Belgium.  Stage 5 offered up the same roads as the fabled Spring Classic, Paris Roubaix, the only bright side of the rain was that it force ASO (the race organizers) to remove to sections of pave.  The sections were underwater, not exactly ideal racing conditions.  Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Tony Martin, (OPQS), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), Simon Clarke and Matthew Hayman (both Orica-GreenEdge) were some of the nine guys who got away from the opening kilometers of the stage.  With the uneven cobbles of northern France and Belgium facing the racers, I think they were eager to be done as soon as possible.  This is an original small 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 and will be included in my soon to be self published pictorial story of the Tour, "Book de Tour"  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy or to learn how you can be involved in bring this race to print please visit my kickstarter campaign at 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%202014/2399198-31-30-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U72YJsvD_IU

Tour Stage 2: Using His Team

Many who are new to the sport of bike racing don't realize that it is a team sport.  Each member of the team is there for a particular reason, all to further the cause of the team that has pinned its hopes on the team leader.  When the team leader has a problem, either from a crash, a flat, or even from stopping along the side of the road to take a pee, several members of the team will drop back to help pace their man back into the peloton.  To understand the speed of the pace line, one needs to have a grasp of aerodynamics, the guy in front breaks the wind so that the guy behind uses about 30% less energy to travel at the same speed.  Here it is Tejay van Garderen is brought back up through the following caravan after he had a flat.  He was escorted back into the fold by 3 of his teammates, Peter Velits, Marcus Burghardt and Michael Schar in hopes that Tejay would be at the business end of the race at the line in Sheffield.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will appear in my soon to be self published "Book de Tour" (learn more about this at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  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%202014/2397100---199992/Painting.html#.U7nD1M_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Final Stage: Voeckler Goes, Westra Counters

Once they had shucked the other four of the break, it was time to start thinking about taking the stage.  Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) who has made a name for himself going on long breaks on some steep climbs, was the first to attack his fellows.  He had seen that Marcus Burghardt (BMC) was weak on the climbs and strong on the flats, he also knew that Lieuwe Westra (Astana) is a two time Dutch Time Trial Champion and had already proved earlier that he is on good form in this Volta.  He was successful in getting a gap, but then as they crested the steep climb, Westra countered his move and no one was able to catch his wheel, not then or until he had come to a stop after crossing the finish line.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can 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%202014/2338113---195767/Painting.html#.UzjnyM_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Final Stage: Losing the Dead Wood

The original break consisted of nine riders, not all of whom were or possible could continue to contribute to the success of the break, so Marcus Burghardt (BMC) was the first to attack the break hoping to shed himself of the passengers and weaker riders.  The aggressiveness of his attack was covered by Marciej Paterski (CCC-Polstat Polkowice), Lieuwe Westra (Astana) and Cedric Pineau (FDJ).  Moments later, as they started up the climb, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) bridged across, leaving the other four that included the winner of Stage 6, Stef Clement (Belkin Pro Cycling).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by being the first to visit my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2338111---195767/Painting.html#.Uzjjc8_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 5: All for Naught

After awhile the two leaders, Burghardt (BMC) and Preidler (Giant Shimano) were joined by two more, however only Pierre Roland (Europcar) was able to hang with the two in the stiff winds.  Apparently the winds are frequent enough to warrant the installation of wind turbines.  However the break that got away after 50 kilometers was all for naught as the peloton reeled them in with only about 20 K left to ride.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available from my artist website at www.greigleach.com, or for this painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2337077---195767/Painting.html#.UzYcsc_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 5: Two Away

After two days of high mountain climbs, cold rain, snow the racers were blessed with sunshine and a relatively flat stage.  However they spent the day in pretty stiff winds, most of them headwinds.  I went out for a ride myself and hit very stiff head winds, too, and you end of working as hard as you can yet feel like you are barely moving.  Even with those conditions a large break got away, with these two, Marcus Burghardt (BMC) and Georg Preidler (Giant Shimano) slipping off of the larger group trying to beat the odds and the peloton.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that has been created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com  Also, this painting and all of my cycling works are available from my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting you can follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2337075-63-60-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.UzYauM_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 2: Head & Shoulders Above

Luka Mezgec (Giant Shimano) further solidified his hold on the leader's jersey with a very strong print, crossing the finishing line in Gerona with a 15 foot lead over the next closes sprinter.  With the ten second time bonus, he now has a 14 second lead over fellow sprinter, Roberto Ferrari (Lampre).  Here you can see Ferrari to his right, along with Daniele Ratto (Cannondale) and Marcus Burghardt (BMC) as they all watch Mezgec give his second victory salute in as many days.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can by yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Or for this particular painting, you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2335079---195767/Painting.html#.UzI9q8_D_IU