Paris Roubaix Femmes 23: The First of Many

By the time the large early breakaway reached the first of 17 sections of cobbles they were already setting a new fastest time in the women’s Paris Roubaix.  Marion Borras (St. Michel-Mavic-Aauber93) and Lisa Van Helvoirt (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) were on the tail end of the group of 18 women who had build up over a five minute lead on the chasing peloton.  While it is very rare that a break away stays away all of the way to the end of a race, this gap was going to make it a tough day out for those behind.  Of course, “the Hell of the North” has a way of turning the racing upside down in the blink of an eye.

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 $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3944938-521-195767/Painting/the-first-of-many.-prf23-1.html

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 3: A New Queen?

The short answer is yes.  Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) was able to score maximum points atop the Cote de Vertus.  By doing so she has pulled ahead of her teammate in the Queen of the Mountains classification.  She will own the Maillot a Pois as long as the new woman in second place doesn't out score her on the next two climbs.  Spoiler, she did not.  So at the medal ceremonies tonight it will still be a Femke on Parkhotel-Valkenburg in the Polka Dots, but it will not be Gerritse instead of Markus.  The team is definitely off to a good start in the first Tour de France Femmes!

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895914-156-294403/Painting/a-new-queen-tdff22-15.html

Tour Femmes '22: We Tried

With another 74 kilometers to go in a 134 kilometer stage, both Pauline Allin (Arkea Pro Cycling) and Femke Markus (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) were surprised to see the peloton closing in.  Markus had added just a single point to her Maillot a Pois, Queen of the Mountains tally.  She would definitely liked to stay off the front longer to suck up as many points as possible.  At this point, Pauline Allin was literally along for the ride.  Now Markus was going to have to find the legs to go over at least two of the remaining climbs first if she wants to stay in the polka dot jersey.

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895912-155-294403/Painting/we-tried-tdff22-14.html

Tour Femmes, Stage 2: Giants of France

Here in the bread basket of France near everything looms large over the flat wheat fields.  It is a bit nerve wracking to see the cameramen on the back of the motorcycles leaning low to the ground to get these kind of shots.  But I am glad they do.  This foursome went away early with Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) getting the few Queen of the Mountains points in the early kilometers of the stage.  She is now equal on points, but somehow the jersey stays on the shoulders of her teammate Femke Markus.  So they share QOM points, a team bus, and a first name.  She was joined by Maret Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health), Sabrina Stultiens (Liv Racing Xstra) and Rotem Gatinovitz (Roand Cogeas Edelweiss Squad), the only Israeli in the peloton.  They built up a minute and a quarter on the peloton, before the sprinters' teams began to take an interest.

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895791-149-294403/Painting/giants-in-france-tdff22-8.html

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 1: Someone is Coming

Anne Dorthe Ysland (Uno-X) looks back to see Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT) trying to bridge up to her and Femke Markus (Parkhotel-Valkenburg).  The soon to be threesome were hoping to get to the top of the Champs Elysees first because the first Queen of the Mountains points awaited them there.  While the Champs is consider a flat stage for the sprinters, there is quite a rise up from the Louvre to the l'Arc Triomphe.  It is nice to see that someone finally award some mountain points for the eight times up this climb that the women will have done when they get there.  Coincidently, that is the total number of laps the men will be doing later today.  It was Markus who will be pulling on the first Maillot a Pois of the Tour de France Femmes.

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895580-138-294403/Painting/someone-is-coming-tdff22-4.html

Tour Femmes '22, Stage 1: Building an Advantage

As Mischa Bredewold (Parkhotel-Valkenburg) and Emily Newsom (EF Education-TIBCO SVB) swung back onto the Champs Elysees the two were building up a bit of a lead on the peloton behind.  With the first intermediate sprint on the next lap it was unlikely that those looking to wear the first green jersey of the Tour de France Femmes.  Since neither are known to be able to outsprint some of the marquee women in the peloton, it was their best hope for grabbing some sprint points for themselves.

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 $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895557-136-294403/Painting/building-an-advantage-tdff22-2.html

Ronde Van Vlaanderen Women '22: From the Beginning

This quartet had gotten off the front of the peloton from nearly kilometer zero.  With 160 K to race, staying off the front was going to be a challenge.  However, with the race almost half way done, Maria Martins (Le Col-Wahoo), Sofie Van Rooijen (Parkhotel-Valkenburg), Olivia Baril (Valcar-Travel & Service), and Clara Honsinger (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) they still had over two minutes behind.  At this point they were climbing the Wolvenberg which may mean the peloton will close on them quickly.

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/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3877188-41-207546/Painting/from-the-beginning-rvv22-8.html

La Course, The Throw to the Line

It came down to a well timed bike throw for Lizzie Diegnan (Trek-Segafredo) to claim victory in La Course on the Promenade des Anglais.  (Appropriate, given she is an English licensed racer.)  Her throw gave her the victory over the fast closing Marianne Vos (CCC-Liv).  Seems about right since both women are former UCI Road World Champions.  Watching from the sprint from the third step of the podium was Demi Vollering (Parkhotel Valkenburg).  Unlike the men, this is only a single day race (although it has been a two stage race in the past).  I am excited that the 2022 edition will be a week long race that starts the day after the men's Tour de France.

So naturally, this concludes that Women's race, but I will be painting every stage of the Tour live going forward.  Well, up until I go into surgery on Stage 17.  I will be donating a kidney as my wife gets a kidney transplant.  After I am recovered enough to finish painting the Tour, I will go back to sharing the artwork.

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-2020/3687247-11-282744/Painting/the-throw-to-the-line-lc20-6.html

La Course, Off the Climb

Annemiek Van Vleutin (Mitchelton-Scott) leads the chase off of the final climb of La Course.  On her wheel are Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo Women) and Demi Vollering (Parkhotel Valkenburg).  It is a bit unusual for Van Vleutin to be the one chasing in hopes of catching the leaders.  It is her usual style to simple ride away from her competitors as she did in Strade Bianche this season.  However, it is certainly possible that with 23 kilometers to go, that it could still go down as usual.

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-2020/3687238-10-282744/Painting/off-the-climb-lc20-5.html