Milano-San Remo: Jumping Them All

Arnaud Demare (FDJ) had just cause to celebrate this victory, not only had he won Milano-San Remo by several bike lengths, he had done so after being on the ground with just 25 kilometers left to race.  It to herculean effort to get back to the peloton and then all the way up to the business end of affairs.  He was able to hold off Ian Stannard (Sky) who was the only one who could come close to matching the Frenchman's speed to the line.  Just missing the podium was Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and pounding his handle bars was fellow Frenchman, Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) who surely preferred to have been taking the race for France.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747795-296-195767/Painting.html#.Vu979vkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Looking Them Over

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) looked over his shoulder to get a feel of who was behind him, and how they may sprint.  Boasson Hagen had gone of the front with a small group that included Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Etixx Quickstep) and had hoped they would stay away.  They had already sped pass Ian Stannard (Team Sky) and Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), so he was right to be full of hope for the race.  He may well have lost that feeling of hope seeing the peloton coming up behind with just 500 meters left to the line.

Unfortunately for Gaviria Rendon, he went down just after I painted this image, ruining his chances for a win in San Remo.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747789-295-195767/Painting.html#.Vu95qvkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Slipping Away

With the peloton catching the last of the early escapees on the lower slopes of the Cipressa (the penultimate climb of the day), it was time for the opportunists to try and surprise the others.  The first to jump free of the rather large peloton was Giovanni Visconti (Movistar).  Visconti's move was quickly covered by Ian Stannard (Sky).  The two opened up a quick 15 seconds on those behind.  They worked together all the way to the top where Stannard led the Italian down the fast, twisting descent.  I couldn't help put notice the bright orange pads that lined most of the corners on the way down.  It was a little distressing to watch one of the men riding for FDJ slam into the pad.  Comforting to know that the pad did the job it was designed for, as he jumped back on his bike and continued racing.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747783-294-195767/Painting.html#.Vu93DPkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Fighting to Get Back On

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As fatigue set in, and the nerves began to fray, riders began to hit the deck, crashing from touches of wheels or momentary lapses of attention.  One of those to hit the deck was the former French champion, Armaud Demare (FDJ).  Demare joined with Gregor Muhlberger (Bora-Argon 18), one of Muhlberger's teammates, and Luka Mezgec (Orica-GreenEdge) in the dash to race back up to the peloton.  Demare was more fortunate than some who crashed.  First he was able to get back up on his bike, while others were not able to continue, and he was also able to catch back onto the rear of the peloton.  In so doing, he was still able to harbor hopes of playing in the finale of the race in about 25 kilometers.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747782-293-195767/Painting.html#.Vu90dPkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Up the Final Copa

The early break was still off the front of the peloton, although their numbers had dropped somewhat.  As Marco Coledan (Trek-Segafredo) led Mirco Maestri (Bardiani CSF), Maarten Tjallingii (Lotto Jumbo NL) and Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) up the final of the three Copas that mark the final phase of the race to San Remo, the Copa Berta.  The course along the Mediterranean Sea offer beauty vistas as the road wound around the steep hills that plunged into the beautiful azure sea.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747779-292-195767/Painting.html#.Vu9x4PkrLIU

Milano-San Remo: Rummaging About

Roger Kluge (IAM Cycling) one of the twelve men in the early break, rummaged through his pockets looking for more food.  With such a long race, it was important to keep topped up from energy, lest they fade away on the final climb of the day.  Some of those joining Kluge were, Mirco Maestri (Bardiani CSF), Matteo Bono (Lampre-Merida), Samuele Conti (Southeast Venezuela) and Adrian Hankisz (CCC Sprandi).

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747772-291-195767/Painting.html#.Vu9uu_krLIU

Milano-San Remo: Bringing Mark Back

Milano San Remo is a very long race, made longer this year by a rock slide that closed off part of the planned course.  The rerouting added another 9 kilometers to the stage, making the total kilometers cover while racing 300 with another 7 K of the neutral start in the city of Milano.  With that many kilometers of road to cover, flats, mechanicals and even crashes were inevitable.  Mark Cavendish Dimension Data), sporting his new team's kit, was brought back to the back of the peloton by his teammate Serge Pauwels.  Given his past victory in the race, the TV Moto was sure to cover every move the sprinter made.  Notice that the camera operator is standing on the back of the motorcycle while filming, with his other hand firmly grasping a pole on the back of the bike.

This is a small original watercolor that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, the painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting is available for sale and can be found by following the direct link at the end of this post.

Be sure to check out my newest cycling book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is available through your favorite book seller worldwide or at my publishers website, www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2747770-290-195767/Painting.html#.Vu9rbPkrLIU

Milano Sanremo: A Rather Wet Roll Out

Milano Sanremo is the longest of the Spring Classics with the peloton facing 293 kilometers of nearly all out racing.  The one saving grace is that most of the race is flat and the prevailing winds usually provide a nice stiff tailwind for most of the race.  Today it was hardly the warm shining sun one imagines when thinking of southern Italy, instead the riders where bundled up in warm clothes and rain jackets in hopes of staying warm and dry over the next six hours on the road.  Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-Quickstep) sported a new rain cape that showed his rainbow stripes of the World Road Racing Championship.

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.  They are a wonderful family run art supply company located in Wisconsin, USA.  In addition, this painting 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.  The painting is only $50 USD and international shipping is available.

If you are enjoying reading about bike racing this way with the accompanying artwork please check out my recently published Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France.  The book is available through virtually every online bookseller.  So google the title to discover where you can get a copy and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2531032---195767/Painting.html#.VRDKTfnF-xU