Paris Roubaix '26: Forced to Chase

After he got back onto his own bike, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) set about the arduous task of chasing down the leaders on the road.  In the eighteen kilometers since he had his mechanical he has pulled himself within nineteen seconds as he bumped across another pave sector.  Behind him Max Walscheid (Lidl-Trek), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) and Rasmus Pedersen (Decathlon CMA CGM) were thrilled to have such a strong rider to help pull them along.  Will they still be on his wheel when he rejoins the front of the race?

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"Forced to Chase PR26-3" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Nice '25, Stage 7: Forming the Grupetto

Due to the threat of snow on the higher elevations, the race organizers took out two of the climbs that were originally part of today's stage.  However, they left in the long slough up the valley to the climb up the Auron.  The thirty-kilometer climb in the cold rain, particularly after the last two days, was proving to much for the fast men of the peloton.  As they approached the twenty kilometers to go signage, guys like Tibor del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck), John Degenkolb (Picnic-PostNL), Max Walscheid (Jayco-Alula), and Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) grouped together to get to the finish as best they could.  The Grupetto is what the large group of sprinters and others who suffer on the climbs is called.  They work together to beat the time limit on any given stage.  Oft times there is safety in numbers since the organizers are redescent to kick a large group of riders out of the race even if they do miss the time cut-off.  It should be noted that Walscheid stepped off of his bike before the end of the stage finding the weather and the climb just too, too much.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"Forming the Grupetto PN25-29" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Flanders 2021: Is He Waving Farewell?

I may never know why Tony Martin (Germany) was waving his arm while in the first leg of the Mixed Team Time Trial with Max Walschied and Nikias Arndt. But it almost seemed as though he was waving farewell to all of his fans from around the world.  This is Martin’s last race as a professional and thanks to these two guys and his female teammates, Lisa Breannauer, Lisa Klein, and Mieke Kroger, it was a gold medal earning finale.  While he certainly couldn’t do it alone, nor did he, it was a truly fabulous way to end an even more amazing career as a professional cyclist.  I am going to miss watching him race, but I am sure he won’t be totally gone from the cycling world.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg 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/Flanders-2021/3838543-19-292177/Painting/is-he-waving-farewall-uci21-19.html

TDF, Stage 19: Handing Off

The Tour has done a lot to cut down on littering by the peloton, including fining riders for tossing their waterbottles.  Although they don't seem to mind riders tossing them at the feet of spectators along the side of the road.  The bottles are a treasured souvenir for cycling fans everywhere.  The problem comes when a rider is trying to get a fresh bottle but doesn't have any room in his bike's cages for another bottle.  I watched a couple riders do what Max Walscheid (Qhubeka-NextHash) is trying to do here.  Just off camera a support motorcyle is reaching to take this bottle from him before passing him a fresh one.  Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) is watching this move with interest, perhaps preparing to follow suit. The two were on the tail of the early break, or at least the one that got away for good.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg 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/2021-Tour-de-France/3824338-125-291436/Painting/handing-off-tdf21-124.html

Tour, Stage 16: A Bit Worrying

After Sunday's collapse of Egan Bernal Ineos-Grenadiers) on the final climb of the day, it had to be a bit worrying to see him drop out of the peloton on the penultimate climb of the day.  Seeing Bernal in the sprinter's grupetto with riders like Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-Quick Step) and the teammates Max Walschied (NTT) and Michael Gogl.  Either Bernal has lost all interest in even trying to ride well in the Tour, or as Bob Roll suggested, he was intentionally losing enough time that the peloton won't chase him when he goes for a stage win.  The main problem with that theory, was that the team sent to guys back to shepherd him home inside the time limit. 

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-2020/3701732-109-282744/Painting/a-bit-worrying-tdf20-103.html

Tour, Stage 12: Are You Having Fun?

Max Walschied (NTT) reaches over while he talks to one of his break away companion, Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick Step).  Naturally, I have no idea what they were actually saying to each other.  But it is important to the success of a break away that everyone works together and feels up to the challenge had hand.  Ahead, Imanol Erviti (Movistar) is just ahead of the chatting duo.  By the way, I didn't get the scale wrong with Walschied, he is the tallest man in the peloton at 6'6" and just shy of 200lbs, a great guy to be behind in the pace line.  When I was racing back in the 70s I was considered too tall for the sport at just 6'1" so I take pleasure in seening these tall guys succeed at this level of racing.

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-2020/3698024-72-282744/Painting/are-you-having-fun-tdf20-66.html

Amgen ToC, Stage 6: The Other Sagan

It must be a challenge to be the other Sagan, after all no sibling enjoys sharing the lime light, and Juraj's brother Peter sure soaks up a lot of lime light.  Not that he doesn't deserve it.  This Sagan, Juraj (Bora-Hansgrohe) was one of seven in the early break of the Queen's stage of the 2019 Tour of California.  He was joined by Matteo Fabbro (Katusha-Alpecin), Pawel Bernas (CCC) and Max Walscheid (Team Sunweb) amongst others.  These guys were hoping to get a head start up the Glendora climb inorder to be available to help their team leaders on the slopes of Mount Baldy.

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%20of%20California/3333638-82-223355/The%20Other%20Sagan%20%20ToC19-27.html