Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Undampened, but Rather Wet

Without television coverage of the Junior races it has been quite a challenge to get imagery to work from.  Fortunately, I have some very kind friends in the Richmond cycling community who messaged me their photographs since they were out on the course.  This is the peloton chasing the now five man break back up Broad Street and the old CFB Bank building that stands as the lone high rise blocks away from the financial district the marks a typical downtown city area.  I need to figure out what flag this one is, one of seemingly hundreds of international flags being waved enthusiastically all along the course.

The riders and fans alike faced light rain for most of the day, but thankfully, the expected down pours held of while the young men were on course.  With the cobbles and technical nature of the course, rain would have been disastrous.

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.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Part of the Home Team

Gregory Daniel of Team USA may be showing us why the race organizers decided to send the riders over the Robert E Lee Bridge above the James River.  It certainly may for a beautiful view of downtown rising above the fall line of the mighty James.  This is a view that rewards my bike rides into the city from my southside home, but I can ensure you that this Greig can come close to matching the speed of this Greg.  Daniel went on to claim a podium position as he finished amongst the tall buildings that he was able to see from this lofty vantage point.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to hold that position at the end of the day.

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.  The paintings are for sale each day at the Downtown Fanfest in the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 5th and Marshall Streets in Richmond, VA.  There are originals and two different sizes of prints being offered for sale starting at $20.00 USD. Eventually, they will be available through www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Setting the New Best Time

Team Movistar used to have a reputation for being very bad at the Team Time Trial discipline, that however, is no longer the case.  With only a few teams left on the road behind them, they clocked the new best time has they finished their ride at 5th and E. Broad Streets.  The effort didn't not win them the prize they sought, but it did manage to land them on the podium in third, so it will be Spanish Bronze for them.  Etixx Quickstep repeated their Silver Medal from Ponferrada and BMC repeated as well, but for them it is a second year as the World Team Time Trial Champion (Men's champion).

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available as an original or two different size prints at the Convention Center.  Later they can be purchased through www.richmond.com.  This was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.

If you enjoy seeing these works, you can come down to the Fanfest at 5th and Marshall Streets, just a block from the finish line of every race of the 2015 UCI World Road Racing Championships, and watch me create the works in person.  You can also watch a live feed of me creating the works at www.richmond.com.  At the Fanfest, you will be able to buy prints in two different sizes, (8"x10" or 11"x17") and the originals are available for purchase as well.  Just look for me directly across from the podium.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Swing Off

Orica-AIS labored on the climb out of the city.  The rider who lead them up the relatively short climb up from the banks of the James River swung off to catch the draft from her teammates.  With catching the draft, she would also catch her breath before working her way back up to the front of the line.  To explain, each rider will take her turn riding on the front of the group, pushing through the wind while those behind shelter in the slipstream use as much as 30% less energy that the one on the front.  She will then swing off of the front and drop to the back of the group to recuperate as much as possible before breaking the wind again.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available as an original or two different size prints at the Convention Center.  Later they can be purchased through www.richmond.com.  This was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Hitting Second Street

Velocio-SRAM were riding a beautiful time trial as they swept off East Broad Street and headed down 2nd winding their way to the heart of the city.  The team posted the best time as they swung through this corner,  A best time that they were able to carry all of the way to the finish, a finish that was only 3 blocks from here.  Naturally, they had quite a long way around to get the the line riding out east of the city and back in again before stopping the clock at 5th and East Broad Streets.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available as an original or two different size prints at the Convention Center.  Later they can be purchased through www.richmond.com.  This was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.

Richmond 2105 UCI Worlds: And It Begins

Pepper Palace was the first team to roll down the start ramp and kick off the UCI World Road Racing Championships in Richmond, VA.  I should tell you right off the bat that this is my adoptive hometown.  I have ridden each and every piece of payment that will decide all of the new World Champions.  So I am beyond excited about these races.  In addition, I am painting the races live each day of racing in the main Fanfest area located at the Richmond Convention Center located at 5th and Marshall Streets just a block from the finish line.  If you are in town, you can find me directly across from the podium as you enter the hall.

Pepper Palace left the start ramp of the Lewis Ginter gardens and hit the streets of Lakeside on their way downtown and then out the other side of town.  The course brought the racers through Battlefield Park east of the city and then back into the city for the finish line at 5th and East Broad Streets.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available as an original or two different size prints at the Convention Center.  Later they can be purchased through www.richmond.com.  This was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.

Criterium International Stage 3: Riding for Ben

I was very excited to see Ben King (Cannondale Garmin) riding in the Maillot Jaune!  King is a hometown boy, he is from Richmond, Virginia, where I call home.  I never thought I would see a rider from Richmond wearing a Yellow Jersey in a professional bike race back when I was racing on the club level in the same city.  Cannondale Garmin put all of the team into pulling back the break away before the final climb up the Col d'Ospedale.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this painting, for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post, and yes, international shipping is available.  Enjoying reading about professional cycling with this accompanying art?  Then be sure to check out my recently publish book on the 2014 Tour de France, just google the title, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France" to discover where you can order a copy from your local online book seller.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2535392---195767/Painting.html#.VRrhbfnF-xU

Collegiate Nationals: All Alone at the Line

All four of the Road Races at the Collegiate Nationals were determined by solo breakaways, most that went early on in the race.  This is the winner of the final race of the day, Griffin Easter of Fort Lewis College.  You can just see the second place rider from Stanford University about a 100 meters behind.  Notice, too, that no other cyclist is visible back down the finishing straight of East Broad Street.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, take some time to look at the last twelve months of cycling art.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2359233---195767/Painting.html#.U2gv3M_D_IU

Collegiate Nationals: Hitting the Cobbles

Libbie Hill's cobble stones and steep climb proved to be the deciding factor both for the attackers and those who suffered on each of the seven trips up this picturesque hill that overlooks the James River and the city of Richmond.  Sadly this climb was reached after a steep half kilometer approach before making this turn onto the cobbled section.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Please take some time to browse around all of the art work on the site including the last year of racing around the world.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2359207---195767/Painting.html#.U2grTs_D_IU

Collegiate Nationals: Cresting Libbie Hill

One of the dramatic features of the road racing course is a Ardennes-like cobbled climb, the racers climb up from the James River for about a half kilometer before turning onto the cobbled climb of three switchbacks and some very rough pave.  Most of the spectators that weren't at the finishing line were spending the day watching the Collegiate riders suffer up a steep climb, 5 times for the women and 7 times for the men.  This, and one other cobbled climb, will feature prominently in the 2015 Worlds.  It was used to distance the peloton in both of the men's races and I would expect the same to happen when the pros come to town.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com, or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2359175---195767/Painting.html#.U2glDc_D_IU

Collegiate Nationals: Cornering Up to the Mansion

The final day of racing in Richmond, Virginia included the road race course that will be used in the 2015 World Road Racing Championships.  The day's racing included Division One and Two, women's and men's races.  I caught up with the racing as the peloton made the right turn off of East Main Street and started the climb up behind the Virginia Governor's Mansion with just one kilometer left to the finishing line.  Next they will cut left onto the finishing drag that is a false flat all the way to the line.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg cake watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com  Also, the work is available for purchase through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  You can follow the direct link at the end of this post, too.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2359165-111-108-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.U2ggwc_D_IU

A Long Wait for the Worlds

It is still a long way off until the world rolls into Richmond, Virginia to vie for the 2015 Rainbow Jersey, but all of us cycling fans can't wait.  As you most likely know, I spent last season painting a number of the big tours of the Pro Tour calendar along with some of the shorter 7 day stage races.  This is a painting fantasizing about what it will be like as the Elite Men contest the World Road Championship snaking their way through the streets of my adopted home town.  So while we are all waiting for the start of the 2014 Pro Tour season, enjoy this little guess what the 2015 Worlds will look like (and yes, I did stick Team USA on the front as they rip down Monument Avenue).

New Art Out of the Studio

This is a new piece of art that I just completed in the studio this afternoon.  Unlike most of the art on this blog, this painting was created using Shiva Paintstiks on rag paper and is rather large at 52"x36".  The image is in celebration of the World Championships coming to my adopted home town of Richmond, VA in the United States in 2015.  It has been years since the professional, world tour peloton have swung through the streets of Richmond, but the cycling community is very strong here in the South.  This work will be available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com when I give it a title and load it up.

In 2020, during the Black Lives Matter Protests, the Lee Monument became a focus point for those who found these statues to Confederate "heroes" either a symbol of all that is racist in America, and to those who hold some of those same racist beliefs, a symbol of the "strength of the South"  During that summer, shortly after the death of George Floyd, I decided that I needed to create a painting dealing with the protests and all that they represented.  

As I was thinking about that, it became clear it would be symbolic to create that new work over this painting.  The resulting piece, "I Can't Breathe" has now been included in the visual history of the Black Lives Matter organization.  The new piece is a much better work of art, made all the more so by having this painting underneath (and hopefully what the monuments celebrate buried underneath as well). 

You can see this artwork (and purchase a print of the original) at my website, www.greigleach.com and all of my other paintings as well.