Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Arms Spread Wide

So it wasn't one of the leading five to take the victory in Harrogate after all.  It was Nils Eekhoff (Netherlands) had bridged across to the leaders and then had the legs to out sprint everyone.  As I am writing this, I am listening to the NBC Sports online podcast and learning that Eekhoff has been disqualified.  I still don't know why.  That means that each of the finishers have been moved up a spot.  Therefore, Samuele Battistella (Italy) wins the race, with Stefan Bissengger (Switzerland) takes Silver and the Yorkshire man, Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain) does make a medal run after all taking the Bronze.  That was a bit strange.

In the end it was determined that Eekhoff had spend to much time drafting off the back of his team car trying to rejoin the race after crashing out on course.

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397276-35-266225/Arms%20Spread%20Wide%20%20UCI19-35.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Trying to Get Across

With just about three kilometers left to go, this trio of Andreas Lorentz Kron (Denmark), Sergio Higuita (Colombia) and Nils Eekhoff (Netherlands) were desperate to get back onto the wheels of the four up front.  It would take the strength of their legs and those up front starting to trying to out smart each other.  As a foursome approaches the line, they know that one of them will miss the podium, so they won't be willing to go all out.  That lack of committment to pushing on can afford an opportunity for the chasers to rejoin the leaders.

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397255-34-266225/Trying%20to%20Get%20Across%20%20UCI19-34.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: One of These Five

As they started the final lap through the outskirts of Harrogate, it looked as though the new Rainbow Jersey was going to come from these five off the front.  The hometown fans had to be thrilled to see their man, Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain) in the right move.  Remember, he had to chase back on after the crash earlier in the race.  Along with the Yorkshire man, were Tobias Foss (Norway) and gesticulating Samuele Battistella (Italy), Szymon Sajnok (Poland) and Stefan Bissegger (Switzerland).  All they had to do is keep pushing and not let those behind catch back on.

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397252-33-266225/One%20of%20These%20Five%20%20UCI19-33.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Is This the Move?

With 24 kilometers left to race, it looked like these two had made the move that should take the day.  After a bit of cat and mouse, it was Szymon Sajnok (Poland) and Idar Andersen (Norway) who rode off the front of the lead group.  It may have been that they saw the chase group about to catch and didn't like their changes with an increase in numbers.

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397250-32-266225/Is%20This%20the%20Move?%20%20UCI19-32.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Where Did You Go?

"Where did you go?"  That had to be the question Idar Anderson (Norway) asked as he looked behind him.  He had been driving the pace of this small escape group, flicking his elbow for someone to come through to share the work.  When no one pulled through, he swung to the right and peered over his shoulder to find no one behind him.  Behind, Kaden Groves (Australia) wiped his nose and Anreas Lorentz Kron (Denmark) refused to hold onto the Norwegian's wheel.  The fight seemed out of the group despite having a half a minute on the chasing peloton.

Watch this painting come to life in a quick time lapse video on my YouTube channel and here:

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397192-31-266225/Where%20Did%20You%20Go?%20%20UCI19-31.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Catching Back On

After a large crash, there was a big split in the peloton.  With several riders ending their hopes and their day early, many others had to get sorted and chase down the peloton.  After a few kilometers the majority were able to catch back on including, Thomas Pidcock (Team GB) the local boy who was carrying the hopes of his team, Jason Costhuizen (South Africa), Martin Bugge Urianstad (Norway) and Colin Heiderscheid (Luxemburg).  It has been rough chase that brought them to the tail of the group just as the climbs were about to start.  How spent was Pidcock and the others?  Only the road will answer that question.

You can watch as I paint this watercolor and talk about the race, watercolors and composing an interesting image on my YouTube channel here;

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397187-30-266225/Catching%20Back%20On%20%20UCI19-30.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Just Off the Front

As is usual, a breakaway formed at the start of the course across the long flat section of the race.  With a couple of short steep climbs ahead of the circuit in Harrogate, the peloton never let this group get much of a gap.  It was Ben Healy (Ireland) leading the group that contained Stuart Balfour (Great Britain) and another of his teammates, along with Marijn Van Den Berg (Netherlands) and Alessandro Covi (Italy).  It was Covi that started the escape.  There are a few others in the group, but since you can't really see them huddling for warmth, I am not sure who is who amongst the others.

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397181-29-266225/Just%20Off%20the%20Front%20%20UCI19-29.html

Bergen 2017, U23 Men's Road Race: Attacking the Bell Lap

With one final trip through the streets of Bergen for these under 23 year old men, it was time to try and make an attack stick.  The Italian, Edoardo Affini, was the first to give it ago.  He managed to catch a couple of city buses cross the same bridge as the course (clearly driving on the other side of the barrier) to use as a bit of a slipstream as he got away.  Behind, the peloton was spending a few precious seconds trying to decided if they should attack as one or go one by one.  Unfortunately for Affini, the buses would continue straight shortly whereas he and his pursuers would be going down the ramp to the right.

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/Bergen-2017-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3037147-35-239826/PaintingAttacking-the-Bell-Lap--Bergen-35.html

Bergen 2017, U23 Road Race, Wet & Hydrated

Today marked the end of the time trials and the first day of road racing.  It also marked the end of summer and the start of the cold, wet, dreary days of autumn.  While there as been some intermittant showers this week, today was the first day of sustained rain combined with temperatures in the mid 50's.  Awet Hastom Tekle (Eritrea) was making sure he had enough fluids in him, and with his rain coat he was also trying to keep the fluids off of himself as well.  Tekle was in the early break of the day along with Atsushi Oka (Japan), Gustav Hoog (Sweden) and Vasili Strokau (Belarus).  The quintet build up about a two minute lead on the peloton in the early going, but the fireworks were about to start behind, even though there was still another 168 kilometers to 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/Bergen-2017-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3037093-31-239826/PaintingWet-&-Hydrated--Bergen-31.html

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race: By a Wheel

The Norwegian team had done quite a bit of work to get their man to the front.  It looked like it might have been in vain when both Pascal Ackermann (Germany) and Jakub Mareczko (Italy) had the jump on the Norwegian sprinter.  Ackermann had a teammate along with him, Phil Bauhaus.  But it was the legs and determination to reward the work of his teammates that fired Kristoffer Halvorsen to the line.  His sprint brought him from behind, just catching Ackermann, nudging pass him by less than the diameter of a front wheel.  So it was Halvorsen for the Gold (and the Rainbow Jersey), Ackermann for the Silver and Mareczko for the Bronze.  Bauhaus rolled across the line in fourth with the Spaniard Ivan Garcia Cortina claiming 8th.  There are plenty of other sources if you want to know each riders placing.  I am just relating the riders that are in this painting.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865112-48-227958/PaintingBy%20a%20Wheel%20Doha48-Greig-Leach.html#.WAAN3eArLIU

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race: Did What He Could

Each team wanted to position their sprinter for the best chance to become the next World Champion particularly given the sharp twists and turns on the at lap course around The Pearl.  After the Norwegian team had been swamped, it was the turn of the French team to drive the pace.  The difference now was that the last few men of the break away were back in the fold.  As one of the Frenchmen swung off, he looked over at his sprinter, letting him know he had done all he could.  I am sorry that I don't know who the four team members at the front are, but it has to be four of these six guys (hommes); Remi Cavagna, Benoit Cosnefroy, Corentin Ermenault, Hugo Hopstetter, Jeremy Lecroq, and Nans Peters.  Behind other teams were waiting to do unto the French as they had to the Norwegians.

Sadly, a number of the French team went down within sight of the finish line when someone hit the barrier.  It didn't look like anyone was seriously hurt, other than their chance of becoming the next U23 World Champion.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865111-47-227958/PaintingDid%20What%20He%20Could%20Doha47-Greig-Leach.html#.WAAID-ArLIU

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race: Leading the Chase

With the early nine man break beginning to dwindle in numbers, the entire Norwegian team went to the front to pull them back to within a minute's advantage.  Ole Forfang, Amund Grondahl Jansen, Fridfjof Roeinaas and Anders Skaarseth were on the front pulling for their sprinter Kristoffer Halvorsen.  The sixth member of the team, Henrik Evensen had already given all he could give.  He swung of the front and slide back through the peloton completely exhausted.  Riding right behind the Norwegian were the Dutch, ready to launch there effort should the white clad Norse falter.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2865088-45-227958/PaintingLeading%20the%20Chase%20Doha45-Greig-Leach.html#.V__1HOArLIU

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race, Working Together Now

It seems that the break got itself re-organized, perhaps the ever closing peloton made them realize that they still needed each other.  The tall Swiss rider Patrick Muller, is just about to take over the head of the group from Jean Claude Umizebe (Rowanda).  Everyone else is doing their share of the work, mainly because Pascal Eenkhoorn (Netherlands) is policing the group.  He seems to be giving an earful to Amanuel Gebrezgabihier (Eritrea).  Gregory Daniel (USA) is just getting on with the job and hand with his jersey zipped down in hopes of staying a little cooler.  I would think that the Africans in this group would be best suited to the climate but it seems to be the northern Europeans who are fairing best in the heat.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2864961-44-227958/PaintingWorking%20Together%20Now%20Doha44-Greig-Leach.html#.V__Ej-ArLIU

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race: Life at the Back

With the heat and the long race, riders where hard pressed to keep their fluids up and their bodies cool.  Half of the bottles the riders took from their team cars were poured over their heads and body in hopes of generating a little cooling action from the wind.  Miles Scotson (Australia) has dropped back to his car even though he just got a bottle from a teammate.  He not only got two more for himself, but loaded up with even more bottles and gels to take up to his guys.  Also hanging out at the back of the peloton are Alexander Cowan (Canada) and Patrick Jager (Austria).  With the flatness of the course the sticky bottle really wasn't a thing today.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2864959-43-227958/PaintingLife%20at%20the%20Back%20Doha43-Greig-Leach.html#.V__ATuArLIU

Doha 2016, Men's U23 Road Race: Falling Apart

The traditional early break formed piece by piece, eventually building to nine riders.  The initial break was formed by the Dutchman, Pascal Eenkhoorn.  Some of those that joined him can be seen in this painting including Gregory Daniel (USA), Mahdi Rajabikabodchesmeh (Iran), Bryan Gomez (Columbia), Amanuel Gebrezgabihier (Eritrea) and the Irishman Michael O'Loughlin.  At this point over 100 kilometers into the race, the break was starting to attack each other, while others like the Irani rider were struggling with leg cramps and the oppressive hear.  Most of the attacking was coming from O'Loughlin, seems like he was fulfilling an old stereotype.

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/Doha%202016%20UCI%20Road%20World%20Championships/2864951-42-227958/PaintingFalling%20Apart%20Doha42-Greig-Leach.html#.V_-6OuArLIU