Tour, Stage 8: Surrounded by the Team

It seems that Thibaud Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) was harmed more in the crash in the first stage of the Tour than he let on (or at least that the team let on).  Pinot has been regularly plaqued by bad luck in the Tour, leaving last year during stage 19.  He started trying to stretch out his back on the climb up the Port de Bales and dropped of the pace.  His teammate, William Bonnet, had already climb of a few kilometers earlier.  He was surrounded by his teammates that included, Sebstien Reichenbach, Rudy Molard and Stefan Kung, all of whom willingly sacrified their standing on the GC to try and nurse Pinot over this and the following climb in hopes that he would recover on the road.  Instead, he came in over nineteen minutes behind the main contenders, thus kissing his Tour victory good bye.  With respect, it must be said that as I am writing this (about seven hours after the stage was completed) Pinot has not left the Tour.  But with another tough day of climbing in the Pyrenees tomorrow I doubt he will be back after the rest day on Monday.

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-2020/3693080-49-282744/Painting/surrounded-by-the-team-tdf20-44.html

Paris Nice, Stage 6: The Next to Go

With Soren Kragh Andersen (Sunweb) back into the peloton, it was Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) who launched the next attack.  Just up the road was the lone figure of Andersen's teammate, Tiesj Benoot.  You can see Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic) trying to decide if he should follow Molard's attack or keep his eye (and energy) on those who are closer to him in the general classification.  With just 12 kilometers to the end of the stage, it wasn't that likely that enough time could be put into the Maillot Jaune to make a true difference.  Conversely, with only one more stage to race, there wasn't much of a choice other than to try.

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/Paris-Nice/3491266-28-272742/Painting/the-next-to-go-pn20-28.html

Tour, Stage 15: Who's Coming?

The break took quite a long time to get established today, and it was rather large once it did.  The peloton was looking at three catagory one climbs, the final being a mountain top finish.  Given what played out on the Tourmalet yesterday, it was looking like it would be another decisive day.  On the first of the big climbs, the Port de Lers, it was Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) looking back over his shoulder to see who was following his attack.  On his left shoulder was Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo) and behind him were Sebastien Reichenbach and Rudy Mollard both on Groupama-FDJ.  All for were in the break to be able to help their team leaders on the final climb of the day.  Should the leaders not bridge up to them, then they could race for stage honors for their respective teams.

Watch this painting come to life as I talk about the Tour and creating cycling art here:

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.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube.  If you enjoy what you see on the channel, please subscribe.  I need to get over a hundred subscribers so I can name the channel, "Art of Cycling"

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3363339-82-263530/Who's%20Coming?%20%20TDF19-82.html

This painting has sold!

Tour, Stage 10: New Polka Dots

All of the climbs in the Tour thus far have been Catagory 4 and 3 climbs, more hills than mountains, but today that all changes.  Over the rest day, the peloton flew down to Annecy to start today in the Alps.  It was Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ) who jumped free of the large breakaway to claim the 10 points on offer at the summit of the Col de la Croix Fry.  With those points he took over the virtual Maillot a Pois.  The day includes three more climbs, two catagory 1's and a Haute Catagorie climb of the Montee du plateau des Glieres.  It remains to be seen if Molard will be able to stay away for the next 90 kilometers to take maximum points on all of the remaining summits.  I doubt it, but I would love to see it.

This is the painting from this stage that you can see come to life on You Tube.  Because I realized after doing the line work that I didn't have any water, the tale of the painting is in two parts.

Frist the line, and then the watercolor, once I had some water with which to mix the colors.  Get it? Watercolors!  See I really do love "dad jokes" but then I am one, and a granddad, too.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3188831-49-251072/PaintingNew-Polka-Dots--T18-49.html

Giro, Stage 19: Counter Move

No sooner had the break put Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac) back into its number than it was Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Rudy Molard's (FDJ) turn to make a counter move.  The duo went as they reached the 15 kilometers left to go banner.  With a big climb ahead, and the peloton very far behind, it is highly likely that whoever gets away from the group will win the stage.

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.

With the racing of the 100th Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in helping this book get made, please consider backing the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included. With Kickstarter, if there is not a 100% funded, no one is charged a dime, and the project recieves 0% funding.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2973473-129-235247/PaintingCounter-Move-G17-137.html

Giro, Stage 15: Leading the Break Away

These are the three that pressed on off the front of their chasing break away companions.  It felt like Jacques Janse van Rensburg (Dimension Data) let the break all of the way up the climb of Miragolo san Salvatore.  On his wheel is the second rider from FDJ to make it into a break away on this stage, Rudy Molard.  Behind him is one of the climbing domestiques for Team Sky, Philip Deignan.  The vehicle behind them is the Vittoria Neutral Service car, who is ready to aid any of the riders who have a mechanical.  Because of the proximaty of the chasers and the peloton, the team cars of those in this group are as much as five minutes behind and would be unable to provide timely aid to their guys, so it falls on the neutral service to aid the break if necessary.

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.

With the racing of the 100th Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in helping this book get made, please consider backing the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included. With Kickstarter, if there is not a 100% funded, no one is charged a dime, and the project recieves 0% funding.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2970706-96-235247/PaintingLeading-the-Break-Away-G17-104.html

Il Lombardia: Pushing On

With the remnants of the peloton catching them up, the trio of David De La Cruz (Etixx-Quickstep), Pierre-Roger Latour (Ag2r) and Rudy Molard (Cofidis) pushed on in hopes of staying away.  At this point, they were second through fourth on the road with still two big climbs to surmount.  More likely than not, at least Latour was riding for his teammate Romain Bardet, but the other two's team leaders hadn't been able to stay with the leading peloton.

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/Other%20Cycling%20Art/2860435-26-206768/PaintingPushing%20On%20IL2-Greig-Leach.html#.V_Grs_ArLIU

Tour Stage 13: The Mountains Await

The peloton as been up a few big hills, mountains by the Island of Great Britain standards. but nothing like what is looming on the horizon.  Stage 13 started relatively easily with a category 3 climb and then a long hundred kilometer flat run at the Alps.  The break and later the peloton would end the day with a Category 1 scaling of the Col de Palaquit follow by a Haute Category trip up to the finish line at Chamrousse.  A nice size group of nine decided they wanted a head start up the first climb.  Alessandro De Marchi started it off at 5 kilometers into the stage and was joined on the first climb by Rudy Molard (Cofidis), Jan Bakelants (OPQS), Giovanni Visconti (Movistar), Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp-Endura), and Daniel Oss (BMC).  Unfortunately for the break, Blel Kadri (AG2R) got himself in with the rest, unfortunate, because he was only ten minutes down on the Maillot Jaune.  Combine that with Katusha missing the move and it was unlikely the group would be allow to stay off of the front.  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.  This painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com and will be included in my soon to be self published book of the 101st Tour de France art, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order a copy, or to discover how you can be a part of bringing the art of the sport we love to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent incentives for backers at every level starting at $5 USD.  Everyone who backs the project will have their name included in the special thanks page.  If you would like to purchase this painting directly, just follow the link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2404784-95-90-199992/Painting/Sports.html#.U8miZs_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 6: Cap de Cursa

Another stage, another break away, but this one had a few extra things in its favor.  First it was a large group of nine riders, two, while they were strong the best placed rider was over eight minutes behind the race leader and, three, nine of the 22 teams in the race were represented in the group.  So this group was off with some big break away riders including the old man of the peloton, Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) Pierre Rolland (Europcar) and Rudy Molard (Cofidis) and an up and coming Aussie, Damian Howson (Orica GreenEdge).  Maybe today will be the day that the peloton never sees the riders in the break until they are all back at the hotel.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that has been created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com  In addition this, and all of my cycling art in this blog, are available from my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2337533-69-66-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.Uze2pM_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 3: Do You Have Another One?

Today I had the opportunity to avoid riding in the cold strong winds of March (spending time riding a stationary bike instead), but that was not an option for the peloton today.  The riders were facing temperatures hovering around freezing and strong winds.  When you combined the two and add in fast descents off of mountains, the wind chill factor became bone chilling.  Rudy Molard (Cofidis) has just gotten another coat from the team car.  I don't know if you can see that he already has a black wind breaker on over his jersey and arm warmers.  The riders spent a good deal of time layering up for the descents and stripping down for the climbs.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there why not browse around all of the cycling art on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2335649---195767/Painting.html#.UzOLA8vD_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 3: Chatting on the Way Up

Another stage means another early breakaway up the road.  This group of six got away at the nine kilometer mark and built themselves an advantage of slightly over ten minutes.  I think the peloton was too concerned with trying to stay warm then they were with chasing down the break.  Jack Bobridge (Belkin Pro Cycling) having been the first over the first climb of the day was checking with the team car and his director sportif, to see how he should go about winning the KOM points over the beyond category climb of the Alt de La Creueta.  With that win he would be ensured the King of the Mountains Jersey at the end of the stage.  He is joined by Michel Koch (Cannondale), Rudy Molard (Cofidis) Branislav Samorlov (CCC-Polstage Polkowice), Andrey Zeits (Astana) and Kevin Reza (Europcar) on their collective effort to steal the stage from the GC contenders.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this (and all of my cycling art postcards) is available from my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting you can follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2335647-56-54-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.UzOIrMvD_IU