Tour Stage 19: Leading the Way

The final day of open road racing was greeted by yet more rain.  More rain and the regular early break with some of the usual players for the long shot.  The peloton was guided through the course by a five man escape group that included some of the usual suspects, Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), Tom Jelte Slagter (Garmin Sharp) and Rein Taatamae (Cofidis).  The only new guy to the party was the Bretagne-Seche man, Arnuad Gerard.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Stave Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published complete collection of my paintings of the 101st Tour de France, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to discover how you can become a part of bringing this art of cycling to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some fabulous Backer Rewards for those who choose to pledge to the Kickstarter "Book de Tour" project for as little as $5 USD.  Every level of support will get your name printed on the Special Thanks page of the book.  To purchase this painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408440-145-138-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U9MsM8_D_IU

Tour Stage 14: Headed to the Top of the Tour

Joaquim Rodriquez (Katusha) started the day in second place in the King of the Mountains competition, while he was wearing the Polka Dot Jersey on loan from Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) he would prefer to be the holder of the Jersey outright.  Since Nibali is also the holder of the Maillot Jaune he is wearing the more important of the two jerseys, and it is the only time when the guy in a leader's jersey is not the leader of the competition the jersey represents.  The last man to win all three of the top Jerseys was Eddy Merckx, he would have had the White Jersey as well, but he was too old.  Rodriquez went on the attack on the fabled Col d'Izoard to try and gain enough points to claim the Polka Dots on his own.  He was followed up to the highest point of the 101st Tour de France by Steven Kruijswijk (Belkin Pro Cycling), Mikel Nieve (Team Sky) and Rein Taarame (Cofidis) all of whom hoped to gain some extra time for the final assault up to Risoul.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  It will appear in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy, or to discover how you can get involved in helping to bring the art of the 101st Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent Backer rewards including an artist signed copy, original artwork, pins, postcards and all starting for as little as $5 USD.  Absolutely everyone who backs the project at any level will have their name included in print on the special thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, please follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2405248---199992/Painting.html#.U8vbqc_D_IU

Tour Stage 14: Leading Them Out

Stage 14 took the peloton and this break away  through some stunning scenery in the high mountains outside of Grenoble.  The day started with another large break away, all with hopes that the GC men would be more interested in each other than worrying about a stage win.  With more than half of the teams in the Tour represented in the break, it was a relatively save bet that the guys on the front were in with a chance.  The only man who was here that was sure to drop off on the fabled climb of the Col d'Izoard, was the Green Jersey of Peter Sagan.  With an early intermediate sprint, he was in the break to capture maximum points towards holding the Maillot Vert on the podium in Paris.  He now has more than twice the points of Bryan Coquard and nearly his total from last year's Tour de France.  The group was lead out of the many tunnels of these Alpine roads by Jose Serpa (Lampre-Merida), Simon Yates (Orica GreenEdge) who is the youngest remaining rider in the Tour, along with Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale) and Rein Taaramae (Cofidis).  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, www.richesonart.com.  The painting is also available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com, and it will appear in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy, or to discover how you can get involved in helping to bring the art of the 101st Tour de France to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent Backer rewards including an artist signed copy, original artwork, pins, postcards and all starting for as little as $5 USD.  Absolutely everyone who backs the project at any level will have their name included in print on the special thanks page of the book.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, please follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2405246-105-102-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U8vX_M_D_IU

Tour Stage 10: Leading Them Up the Col

Yesterday, Tony Martin (Trek Factory Racing) went out in the early break, about half way through the stage he got rid of his break away companion and soloed the remaining 60 kilometers to claim victory and the Polka Dot Jersey.  All of that was very impressive, what is astounding, is that he joined the break again today, and then went to the front of the group and pulled them and his teammate, Michal Kwiatkowski along the road and away from the group with the Yellow Jersey.  Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) and Roaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) new they had been handed a great wheel to follow.  Voeckler and Rodriguez had started the day with getting the Polka Dot Jersey off of the shoulders of Martin foremost in both of their minds.  Martin was doing the work for the team hoping to move Kwiatkowski from second to the leader on the GC.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting, along with all of my other paintings of the 101st Tour de France, will appear in my soon to be self published, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy, or to get involved in bringing my art of the Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2402500---199992/Painting.html#.U8SNHM_D_IU

Tour Stage 5: Wet, Cold and Bumpy

The peloton may have avoided the traditional rainy days of England, but it caught up with them on the roads of Belgium.  Stage 5 offered up the same roads as the fabled Spring Classic, Paris Roubaix, the only bright side of the rain was that it force ASO (the race organizers) to remove to sections of pave.  The sections were underwater, not exactly ideal racing conditions.  Marcus Burghardt (BMC), Tony Martin, (OPQS), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis), Simon Clarke and Matthew Hayman (both Orica-GreenEdge) were some of the nine guys who got away from the opening kilometers of the stage.  With the uneven cobbles of northern France and Belgium facing the racers, I think they were eager to be done as soon as possible.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published pictorial story of the Tour, "Book de Tour"  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy or to learn how you can be involved in bring this race to print please visit my kickstarter campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2399198-31-30-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U72YJsvD_IU

Dauphine Stage 2: Getting It Right

Rein Taarame (Cofidis) had the dubious distinction of being the first to leave some skin on the roads of France.  After his fortunately minor crash, he needed an adjustment to his bike, shortly after this he ended up changing bikes, unfortunately, the crash happen just as the peloton ramp up the speed before hitting the final ascent of the day.  With the contenders' teams trying to position their leaders for the assault on Col du Beal, Taarame was facing a hard chase back, a chase that would burn some of the energy he would need for the climb.  Taarame is wearing the colors of Estonia National Road Champion rather than the bright red kit of Cofidis.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  The painting is only $50 USD and I do ship internationally.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386086---199476/Painting.html#.U6ButM_D_IU