The Art of Cycling: Milano Sanremo

Showing posts with label Milano Sanremo. Show all posts

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Milano Sanremo: Willing to Lose, Managing to Win

I have heard a saying in cycling, "You have to be willing to lose in order to win." Today's bold move by Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) was prove of that adage. Mohoric went all in on his one shot to drop the peloton. And his descent down the Poggio was a frightening thing to watch. He was brushing the walls on nearly every turn trying to keep his speed up. It seemed as though he might crash at every turn, but that kind of effort was what it was going to take to hold off those trying to get back on terms with the Slovenian champion. As they came into the finishing straight on the Via Roma, it looked like Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) might just catch the wheel of the bold Mohoric. Yet it was Mohoric who beat his chest and pointed to his team's name on his jersey as Turgis pounded on his handlebars in frustration of missing out on victory. The French sprinter had gotten clear of some of the early favorites who were just behind him including Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), and Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo). Pedersen was my prediction for victory today, but that shows why I am not a betting man.

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 and Steve Quiller brushes 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/Spring-Classics-/3873555-470-195767/Painting/willing-to-lose-managing-to-win-ms22-7.html

Saturday, March 19, 2022

Milano Sanremo: Using the Descent

After multiple attacks from the those expected to vie for the win on the Via Roma in Sanremo on the way up the Poggio di Sanremo the peloton crested the climb all together. So that is when Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) launched the surprise move that seemingly no one expected. Everyone thought it would be about the climb of the Poggio, but instead the Slovenian champion proved it was more about the descent of that fabled climb. He quickly opened a gap while those behind looked to each other to take up the chase. If they didn't decide to work together, it was clear that their chance of winning was going up the road.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3873554-469-195767/Painting/using-the-descent-ms22-6.html

Milano Sanremo: On the Final Climb

Having watch Paris Nice this scene felt all too familiar. Here was the peloton with Christophe Laporte (Jumbo-Visma) was driving the pace up the Poggia de Sanremo in hopes his team leader, Wout Van Aert would be able to get away from the field behind. Instead it was Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) that was the first to attack as his teammate Diego Ulissi finished his turn driving the pace. At first it was just Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos-Grenadiers) who could go with the two time winner of the Tour de France. However, this attack, and the next two were pulled back by Wout Van Aert and the rest of the peloton. It was beginning to look like it was going to be a small bunch sprint of the elites of the peloton sprinting for victory on the Via Roma.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3873552-468-195767/Painting/on-the-final-climb-ms22-5.html

Milano Sanremo: Chasing Back

Milano Sanremo is hard enough, clearly no one needs any bad look added on top of the kilometes and final climbs. But that is exactly what befell fan favorite Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies). Within sight of the Capo Cipressa, Sagan had a problem with his gearing and needed a quick bike change. While the swap went well, it meant that he was chasing back through those dropping off of the back of the peloton as the favorites were on the attack further up the climb. Sagan could comfort himself knowing that he was catching up the peloton as others, like Elia Viviani (Ineos-Grenadiers), were dropping away.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3873550-467-195767/Painting/chasing-back-ms22-4.html

Milano Sanremo: Cramped Up, Cramped Out

Having lost the wheels of his erstwhile break away companions near the top of the Capo Berta, Filippo Conca (Lotto Soudal) had pushed deep to catch back on. Perhaps he went too deep. As he rode along the bottom of the climb he suddenly shoot out his leg as straight as possible. The next thing we knew he was grimacing in pain and rubbing out his legs as he came to a stop. I felt the need to paint this moment having had a similar experience on century rides all too often. Conca had cramped terribly after being off the front in a break away for over 250 kilometers thus far. As he stretched his leg out, he soon fell to the ground in pain. It looked like his day of racing was done, but that would be assuming he wasn't determined. Surprisingly, he got back on his bike moments after I painted this. He would have been caught by the peloton not long after, but I didn't see him for the rest of the day. Still, particualry for an Italian it is very important to finish a race on his home soil. I can relate, I have finished every century I have started, leg cramps or not.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3873549-466-195767/Painting/cramped-up-cramped-out-ms22-3.html

Milano Sanremo: A Beautiful Ride

Watching today's running of Milano-Sanremo, all I could think was just how much I wanted to ride these roads - preferably on closed roads as being "enjoyed" by the break away. I image that during the summer these roads are packed with tourists, day trippers, and giant tour buses taking in the views just as I would love to. This break was still holding a good lead with 90 kilometers to race. The break was comprised of Yevgeniy Gidich, Artyom Zakharov (Astana Qazaqstan), Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane), Filippo Tagliani, Ricardo Alejandro Zurita (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), Sameule Rivi, Digo Pablo Sevilla (EOLO-Kometa) and Flippo Conca (Lotto Soudal). I doubt they had much time to enjoy the scenery despite spending over seven hours racing up the Mediterranean coast on their way towards the French border.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3873548-465-195767/Painting/a-beautiful-ride-ms22-2.html

Milano-Sanremo: From the Outset

Milano-Sanremo is the longest of all of the Spring Classics, in fact of all of the one day races on the pro calender. This group of eight had gotten away at the very start of the race. As they made this turn, Samuele Rivi (EOLO-Kometa), Filippo Tagliani (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli), Artyom Zakharov (Astana Qazaqstan), and Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane) had been off the front of the peloton for 189 kilometers. With another 104 to go they had a sizeable gap of seven minutes on those behind. With so much yet to go it did seem unlikely that they would be able to stay away, but it was well worth the effort to give it a try.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3873547-464-195767/Painting/from-the-outset-ms22-1.html

Monday, March 22, 2021

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - Surprising Them All

The title of this painting says it all. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) surprised the peloton for a solo run to the finish on the Via Roma in Sanremo. He left it all out on the road. His lobsided victory salute shows just how completely spent he was from the effort. After crossing the line, he collapsed into his soigneurs' arms, eventually laying on the ground still clipped into his bike. Behind it was Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) winning the sprint of the peloton for second place followed by Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma), a resurging Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) rounding out the top five. Peter Sagan was diagnosed with Covid-19 at the start of 2021 and has clearly now re-found his racing legs. I, and I will assume you, am very relieved he has recovered so well.

This is the last for Milano Sanremo. I will be painting Ronde Van Vlaanderen (hopefully both the men and the women) followed by Paris Roubaix (also hoping to be able to paint both the men and the women). The current plan is then to paint the Dauphine and the Tour de France.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow th edirect link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth 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/Spring-Classics-2021/3801746-18-290150/Painting/surprising-them-all-ms21-7.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - He Has the Gap

If a rider wants to avoid a sprint and still win Milano-Sanremo he has four choices. Go away on the Cipressa, yet no one could today. Go away on the climb of Poggio, again no one was able to drop enough of the peloton to avoid a sprint. Ride off the front on the tricky descent of the Poggio, and despite Pidcock's best efforts, no one was able to pull away from the equally skilled group behind him. So the final method is to catch everyone napping at the base of the descent and attack off the front. That is exactly what Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) was able to do with just two kilometers left to race. It is a tall order to make this kind of effort against the best in the world after racing for over 290 kilometers, but the Belgium seemed to have the legs to pull it off.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801739-17-290150/Painting/he-has-the-gap-ms21-6.html

Milano Sanremo 2021 - Time to Go!

The peloton hit the final climb of the Poggio all together so it was time to try and give it a go. As expected it was Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) who was the first to launch an attack. The World Champion was quickly covered by Wout Van Aert (Jumbo Visma) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix). These were the three that started the day as the favorites to win the day, two having one the race in the recent past. However, it didn't look like they were getting enough of a gap to hold off the peloton on the technical descent in just a few minutes.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801737-16-290150/Painting/time-to-go-ms21-5.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - Making It Hard

As the peloton went up the penultimate climb of Milano-Sanremo (the Capo Cipressa) Sam Oomen (Jumbo Visma) hit the front setting a hard pace for his team leader, Wout Van Aert. Van Aert was using the strategy that if the pace was super fast on this climb no one would be able to launch the traditional race winning attack. He was right. Lined out behind the two from Jumbo Visma were Ineos-Grenadiers including Luke Rowe, Tom Pidcock (in his race debute), and Michal Kwiatkowski. It was looking like it was either going to be an attack on the final climb of the Poggio or it would be down to a sprint finale.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801733-15-290150/Painting/making-it-hard-ms21-4.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021 - How Are We Feeling?

As the break hit the first of the three Capi, the Capo Mele, the break away was down to four riders and their gap was down to just a minute and a half. It seems that Mathias Norsgaard (Movistar) is looking over at Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermache Wanty Gobert) asking how he is feeling. Most likely he was taking stock of the legs of his break away compatriots to see if they would be able to stay away from the charging peloton. Ironically, it was Norsgaard who dropped away on the may up the Capo Capressa in another ten kilometers time.

The costal road to Sanremo was punctuated with multiple construction zones, here safety cones are moving the riders to their left. This is just one of the many pinch points on the route for the much larger peloton. Side note, Intermache Wanty Gobert ride Cube bikes, as do I. This is the first time I have ever been on a bike that was also being ridden by a Pro Tour team.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801730-14-290150/Painting/how-are-we-feeling-ms21-3.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021, You Gotta' Eat

With 190 kilometers covered, a distance longer than most every Grand Tour stage, it was important for everyone to keep eating just to be able to make it to Sanremo. Let alone to be able to race to the finish. So it was that Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiaini-CSF-Falzane) dropped back to his team car to grab another bite to eat. He and his break away companions still had another 109 kilometers so he (and they) had to eat. The octet had almost five minutes on the peloton behind, yet it would not be enough time to ensure a win on the Via Roma.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801707-13-290150/Painting/you-gotta-eat-ms21-2.html

Milano-Sanremo 2021, Ready for a Long Effort

Milano-Sanremo is known as the longest race of the year, a complete race of 299 kilometers with another 7 kilometers of a neutral roll out. This year the broadcasters decided it would be a good idea to show the race from start to finish. I confess, I did skip some sections of the race. Hell, I even took a break and went out for a sixty kilometer ride myself. After all, it was a beautiful, mild, Sunday afternoon. Yes, yes, I know the race was held on Saturday, but I couldn't get enough time together to paint the race until Sunday. The early break got away at just six kilometers with seven guys, an eigth joined a little bit later on. Included in this painting are Nicola Conci (Trek-Segafredo), two riders from Novo Nordisk (the team composed of riders whom all have type II diabetes); Andrea Peron and Charles Planet, and Taco Van Der Hoorn (Intermache-Wanty-Gobert). It is unlikely that they will all stay away for the remaining 289 kilometers but it could happen... it didn't.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-2021/3801704-12-290150/Painting/ready-for-a-long-effort-sr21-1.html

Sunday, August 9, 2020

Milano-Sanremo, Half a Bike

After 305 kilometers, it was thalf the length of a race bike that decided the 2020 edition of Milano-Sanremo! The duo of Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Vismo) and Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) came together on the fast descent of the Poggio di Sanremo. They joined forces in a successful attempt to hold off the chasing peloton. In the end, Van Aert had the sprint to take the victory over the defending winner, Alaphilippe. Van Aert added today's victory to his solo win in Strade-Bianche last Saturday, a feat that was accomplished by Alaphilippe in 2019. It leaves me wondering what the delayed 2020 Tour de France will be like.

I most likely will not be painting cycling until the start of the Tour de France, but with being furloughed from my night work who knows what I will paint next? I do always enjoy watching the Dauphine, so one never knows.

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/2020-Bike-Racing-Revised-Season/3632998-17-280747/Painting/half-a-bike-ms20-6.html

Milano-Sanremo, Time to Go!

As the peloton neared the summit of the final climb, the Poggio di Sanremo, it was time to make the attack that would stick. As he did in 2019, Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick Step) attacked hard on the climb. As he went the only one that could come close to holding the Frenchman's wheel was Dutchman, Wout Van Aerts (Jumbo-Visma). Behind you can see the rest of the peloton dropping away. I didn't manage to get who it was just behind riding for Team Ineos. I wonder if the peloton had the chance to take in the beautiful views of the sea off their fight shoulders.

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/2020-Bike-Racing-Revised-Season/3632964-16-280747/Painting/time-to-go-ms20-5.html

Milano-Sanremo, Keeping His Distance

Descending off of the Cipressa, Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe) opened up a rather large gap on the following peloton. On the way down, he had a near miss with the camera moto, almost coming down on one of the sharp turns on the cliffs over the sea. Once off the front Oss road hard to keep the peloton from catching him up. Along the roads, fans safely observed their social distancing (and wore masks) just as Oss kept his social distance from the rest of the race.

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/2020-Bike-Racing-Revised-Season/3632941-15-280747/Painting/keeping-his-distance-ms20-4.html

Milano-Sanremo, Checking the Gap

While it was a very long day in the saddle, it wasn't until the final 30 kilometers that the race really got going. This duo of Loic Vliegen (Circus-Wanty Gobert) and Jacop Mosca (Trek-Segafredo) jumped free of the peloton on the penultimate climb of the day, the Cipressa. Trek-Segafredo kept up the agression sending men up the road one after another. By the finale, they had four of their six riders go up the road on the attack. I guess was the thinking was that it would allow for their team leader, Vincenzo Nibali, to have an easier time of it, thus allowing him to be fresher to go for the victory. Spoiler, it didn't work.

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/2020-Bike-Racing-Revised-Season/3632933-14-280747/Painting/checking-the-gap-ms20-3.html

Milano-Sanremo, You Go Get Them

Marco Frapporti (Vini-Zabu-KTM) looked across to Manuele Boaro (Astana) as if to say, "You go chase them down." The duo of Matha Bais (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermac) and Alessandro Tonelli (Bardiani-CSF-Faizane) had ridden off the front of the trio, the third rider being Damiano Cimi (Gazprom-RusVelo). The five were the remaining guys off the front of the peloton, who had been out there for 250 kilometers. Surely, this will be the longest breakaway of the 2020 Pro Cycling Season. The quintet did join back together in their efforts to keep the peloton at bay.

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/2020-Bike-Racing-Revised-Season/3632917-13-280747/Painting/you-go-get-them-ms20-2.html

Milano-Sanremo, Looking for His Car

Normally the last of the Spring Monuments, the 111th Milano-Sanremo was moved to the heat of August for this Covid-19 altered 2020 cycling season. Since Italy is finally opening up, the race was allowed, but the mayors along the traditional coast roads refused to close the roads for the race. After all they finally could generate some very much needed tourist income. So not only is this edition hotter than normal, it is racing on new inland roads that made the race into a 305 kilometer race.

With still another 97 kilometers to race, Leonardo Bonifazio (Total Direct Energie) was dropping off the back of the peloton in search of his team car. It was of the upmost importance to keep feed and hydrated on this longest of races of the season. The camera didn't stay with Bonifazio to confirm that he was getting supplies for himself or for all of his teammates, but I am sure it was the latter.

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/2020-Bike-Racing-Revised-Season/3632899-12-280747/Painting/looking-for-his-team-car-ms20-1.html