Bergen 2017, Elite Men's Road Race: Go at the Bell

As the race approached the final lap, the peloton caught the previous move of six riders.  Just as the bell started ringing for the final lap (or Bell Lap), it was Luis Mas (Spain) who seemed to take it as a signal to go on the attack.  Jack Haig (Australia) was still on the front from the previous attack, along with Tim Wellens (Belgium).  The rider in the white kit is Jarlinson Pantano (Colombia) who is just about to chase the sprinting Mas.  Even with the flurries of attacks, it is beginning to look like the men's race will be the first road race to end with a mass sprint.

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/3038083-53-239826/PaintingGo-at-the-Bell--Bergen-53.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Men's Road Race, Enthusiastic

With the peloton "gruppo compacto" it was now the time when riders were attacking one after the other.  Marco Haller (Austria) chose his spot well.  On the fan packed climb of Salmon Hill, amongst hundreds of Norwegian flags and thunderous cheers of "Heia, heia!" he opened up a gap on an inattentive peloton.  All Worlds long I have been hearing the heia cheer, and it sounds like a good Southern greeting as in "Hi, ya' (short for Hi, y'all)."  Many riders have tweeted about just how exciting it was to ride up this hill with all of the support along the roadside.  It must have been truly inspiring for any of the Norwegian riders.

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/3038037-51-239826/PaintingEnthusiastic--Bergen-51.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Men's ITT: With Some Time in Hand

The Slovenian, Primoz Roglic, had done a flawless bike change and hit the climb of Mount Floyen with some speed.  As he neared the summit through the tunnel of noise provided by the Norwegian fans, he had time to spare in his quest for the gold medal (and the rainbow jersey).  He set a definitive new best time, that in the end was enough for the silver medal.  Not a bad result for someone who had not enter the converstation prior to this day of racing.  But it is in the legs on the day where the race is one, or lost.

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/3036226-29-239826/PaintingWith-Some-Time-in-Hand--Bergen-29.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Men's ITT: Cheering Their Man

It looked like the entire country of Norway had spilled onto the slopes of Mount Floyen to give their full throttle support to the elite men of the pro peloton.  To be fair, they were very enthusiatic to every single person struggling up the hill, but they really let lose when Andreas Vangstad (Norway) one of their own rode past.  Vangstad was not one of those to figure in the medals (although he did post some great times on the flatter sections of the course), but that did nothing to dampen the patriotic ferver on the roadside.

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/3036163-24-239826/PaintingCheering-Their-Man-Bergen-24.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Women's ITT: Riding in the Rain

As Katrin Garfoot (Australia) made her way along the opening kilometers of the Elite Women's ITT, she had the pleasure of getting to do it in the rain.  Time Trial bikes can be tricky to handle in the best of conditions, but rain just brings a whole new dimension to what can go wrong.  Fortunately, Garfoot was able to not only stay upright, but to go fast enough to finish her day winning the bronze medal.

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/3034998-20-239826/PaintingRiding-in-the-Rain--Bergen-20.html

Bergen 2017, Men's Team Time Trial: Time to Defend

Naturally, the last team to roll down the start ramp was Quickstep, the defending World Champions of the Elite Men's Team Time Trial.  The team has been on the podium for five years running swapping Gold and Silver with BMC Pro Cycling.  Today, they had the shock of not even making the podium despite a strong ride, just not strong enough.  They finished their effort in fourth place just seconds off the podium - perhaps they should have kept Tony Martin on the team.  (Although his team didn't do nearly as well as Quickstep).

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/3034246-6-239826/PaintingTime-to-Defend--Bergen-6.html

Bergen 2017: Elite Women's TTT: Climbing Together

Defending World Champions, Boels-Doleman, opted to keep the entire team of six women together as they scaled the steep climb out on course.  The orange skin suit clad riders were chasing the times of Team Sunweb around the roads of Norway, just a few seconds off of the pace.  As they reach the line, just one rider short, they just couldn't catch Sunweb.  They will have to settle for the Silver Medal - no shame in that, at all.

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/3033346-4-239826/PaintingClimbing-Together--Bergen-4.html

E3 Harelbeke: Hitting Them Hard

It turn out to be the ascent of the Taaienberg where the racing got serious.  It was the five time winner of this race, Tom Boonen (Quickstep) who launched the first serious attack on the peloton.  Qucikly on to the wheel of the big man from Belgium was the Italian, Daniel Oss (BMC).  The pair had gapped the peloton being lead by the World Champion, Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe).  So for the next 70 kilometers, it is time for full on racing.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/2939885-382-195767/PaintingHitting%20Them%20Hard%20E317-3.html

Tour, Stage 9: Going Up in Andorra

Although Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) was still up the road Rafal Majka (Tinkoff) still bridged across to the former World Champion Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida).  The Polish National Champion and wearer of the Maillot a Pois that marks him as the King of the Mountains.was attacking in hopes of being the first to the summit to hang onto his polka dots.  Majka also hoped to bring a little joy into the team bus now that the leader of Tinkoff, Alberto Contador, had abandoned the Tour.  Neither of these riders hail from Norway, but that didn't keep the Norwegian cycling fans from showing their joy in seeing the legends of cycling ride by.  I don't think they were hoping to see a countryman at the front of the race, both Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) are known more for their sprinting prowess than for flying up a mountain.  That being said, I seem to recall that the young Norwegian Vegard Breen (Fortuneo Vital Concept) spent a day vying for the red dots, in an early break away.  Sondre Holst Enger (IAM Cycling) is the final Norwegian in this year's Tour.

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, follow this link:

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202016/2822206-63-224974/PaintingGoing%20Up%20in%20Andorra%20TdF63-Greig-Leach.html#.V4L7obgrLIU