Dauphine, Final Stage: Thumbs Up!

When asked about the oft ill fated break aways, Jens Voigt responded, "If you go in the break you have about a 10% chance of winning, if you don't go it is 0%."  Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) was all smiles and celebratory gestures as his gamble paid off.  Cummings knew that all of the GC contenders would be busy watching each other, and their teams would be working to secure on improve their leaders positions.  Likewise the stage was far to lumpy for any sprinters to use their teams to chase down any break aways, so it was a perfect stage to go for a long solo effort.  And boy, oh boy, was his effort a long one, he went off the front on his own with just over 50 kilometers left to race!  In the end, he finished just under four minutes ahead of those who wanted to stand on the final podium.

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.

Be sure to check out my second cycling art book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships, available online or through your local book seller.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2807386-83-185083/Painting.html#.V12livkrLIU

Dauphine, Final Stage: Fast & Efficient

Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) traded his normal back of the peloton hang out for being way off the front today.  Cummings has been seeking a stage win all week and saw today as the day the leaders would watch each other and perhaps ignore a solo attack.  The Brit went off on his own with over 50 kilometers left to race.  Fortunately for him, he read the race correctly, given how far down in the General Classification he was, no one in the top ten was interested in putting in a serious chase. They were far more concerned about each other.

Cummings is using the rather precarious "super tuck" to make himself as aerodynamic as possible.  This seems really dicey to me, but I don't spend anywhere near the time in the saddle that these guys do.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2807365-78-185083/Painting.html#.V12O-PkrLIU

Dauphine: Stage 2, Holding onto the Tail

As the peloton started up the penultimate climb of the day, although it should be said that there was no real down hill before the final climb to the finish line, the sprinters started sliding to the back of the pack.  Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) resplendent in his Green (Points Leader) skinsuit was one of those that wasn't happy with the climbs to come.  Joining him at the rear of the peloton was Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data) and Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge).  It wasn't long before they, and quite a few other riders, started falling off the back and into the Grupetto.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium%20du%20Dauphine/2804566-47-185083/Painting.html#.V1eMo5ErLIU

Tour de France, Stage 14: Wildcard

After surprising both Romain Bardet (AG2R) and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ), Stephen Cummings (MTN-Qhubeka) was able to charge down the runway above Mende to claim victory for his South African team on the National Mandela Day Holiday.  MTN-Qhubeka came to the start today in Rodez with a new helmet.  The team donned orange helmets to honor the man who had given so much of his life to end Apartheid and become the first President of the newly united country.  Cummings' win today marks the first win for one of the Wildcard teams of the Tour de France.  The Tour is comprise of the 18 ProTour teams and 4 teams that are given wildcard invitations by the race organizers.  While teams like Bretagne-Seche and Cofidis are French teams that regular compete in the Tour, MTN-Qhubeka is making its first appearance in the Grand Bucle.  It is always a great move to win a stage in one's first appearance to the most well know bike race in the world.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co., www.richesonart.com.  Plus, this painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, since this is a one of a kind original work of art, when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2581996---210122/Painting.html#.VatJo_lViko

Tour de France, Stage 14: Jumping the Frenchmen

Out of the original breakaway the team of FDJ set it up for their man, Thibaut Pinot, to jump away on the final climb up out of Mende.  AG2R did the same for their man, Romain Bardet.  However neither Frenchman nor French team had counted on the ability of Stephen Cummings (MTN-Qhubeka) to come charging up from behind as the pair rode under the flame rouge indicating the final kilometer of the day's racing.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Co., www.richesonart.com.  Plus, this painting, and all of my cycling art, is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $60 just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Don't delay, since this is a one of a kind original work of art, when it is gone, it is gone.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202015/2581994---210122/Painting.html#.VatGWflViko 

Liege Bastogne Liege: Life at the Back

Life at the back of the peloton is a mixed back of struggling, mechanicals and other special cycling skills.  Zdenek Stybar (Etixx Quickstep) is racing his arm to call forward his team car for some assistance.  Riders will drop back to the rear of the peloton and signal the race director that they need some help from their team car, of course they have already talked with their Director Sportif via radio to let him know just what the problem is.  Other riders like Mike Terpstra (Roompot) may be struggling to hold the pace of the group, while others like, Stephen Cummings (MTN Qhubeka) and Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) are answering the call of nature.

When the pace is on, riders will merely get out of the peloton, whip it out, and let the stream flow.  So it is a courtesy to drop to the back, I imagine it isn't much fun to be in the slip stream of a rider who is relieving himself.  When the pace is slow, or in a mutual agreement among the group, riders will actually stop along the side of the road for a "break naturale".  Does that fit into the "too much information" category?

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2546756---195767/Painting.html#.VT41-CHBzGc