Gent-Wevelgem: Help Me Out

With rider after rider attacking the group and the others leaving it to Geraint Thomas (Sky) to chase them all down, the Brit looks back over his shoulder, trying to get a little help.  He knows he needs to bring back Luca Paolini (Katusha) and Niki Terpstra (Etixx-Quickstep) back or there is no chance for victory.  Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal) doesn't have much gas left after his solo attempt and Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx-Quickstep) isn't going to help chase down his teammate.  Apparently, Sep Vanmarck (LottoNL Jumbo) wasn't in the mood to help out either.  Thomas may be a victim of his own success and that of his team in the early races of this season.

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 for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2534792---195767/Painting.html#.VRmOCvnF-xU

Gent-Wevelgem: Putting His Head Down

Once the early break away had been caught, it was time for the serious contenders to try and establish an advantage.  Normally, Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx Quickstep) would be riding for his team sprinter, Mark Cavendish, but the Manx Missile had suffered mechanicals and crashes leaving him well of the pace.  Instead the big Belgium was able to use his familiarity with the conditions to press his own case.  After his move, Daniel Oss (BMC) and Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL Jumbo) put their heads down and went after the fleeing Vandenbergh.

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.  In addition, this painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2534716---195767/Painting.html#.VRmDTPnF-xU

E3 Harelbeke: Hittin 'em Hard

At the foot of the Kwarmond climb, it was Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL Jumbo) who jumped hard on the pedals opening up a small gap on Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx-Quickstep) and his teammate, Zdenek Stybar.  Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) was just behind.  Vanmarcke's move allowed all four of these attentive riders to prize out a gap on the peloton.  Alas, the gap was closed down by Team Sky once over the summit of the berg.

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 for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  And yes, international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2533366---195767/Painting.html#.VRZohPnF-xU

Paris Nice Stage 5: Chasing Hard

The strength of the five men up the road meant for a hard chase for the peloton.  One of those up the road, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) has won four other races in his career, everyone of them from a break away scenario.  Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx Quickstep) was working tempo for this teammate in Yellow, Michal Kwiatkowski, but on his wheel, Daryl Impey (Orica GreenEdge) was pushing the pace for his sprinter, Michael Matthews.  Trek Factory Racing, Astana and Team Sky were all interested in being the team to take their man to the line first.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  If you interested in purchasing this original artwork, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Enjoying reading about a bike race with these accompanying paintings?  Then check out my recently published Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France.  The book is available through most online booksellers around the world, so google the title to find where you can get it without paying international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2525046---195767/Painting.html#.VQMs_vzF-xU

Paris Nice Stage 3: Perhaps We Should Chase

Etixx-Quickstep has been spending most of the day riding tempo and letting the break away tangle out front.  With the gap between the trio up the road and the peloton still hovering around 4 minutes with around 40 kilometers to go, Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-Quickstep) may have been starting to get a little nervous.  So it was time for his teammates, Nikolas Maes and Stijn Vandenbergh, to give chase.  Looking on, and perhaps willing Etixx-Quickstep on, are Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky).

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting is painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.   To purchase this particular painting for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  If you are enjoying reading about bike racing with this accompanying artwork, be sure to check out my recently published Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France.  The book is available through virtually all online booksellers, please google the title to find out where you can purchase your copy and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2523622---195767/Painting.html#.VQCDfvzF-xU

Paris Nice Stage 1: Sliding Past Chambord

This was a lovely little treat for me.  When I was a teenager, I discover bike racing and had the chance to visit Paris and the Loire Valley.  On that trip, I visited the Chateau of Chambord, so watching the peloton swing pass the Chateau brought me back to the beginning, as it were.  Astana and Orica-GreenEdge have dropped off the front of the peloton, but Stijn Vandenbergh was still nose to the wind for Etixx-Quickstep with Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and Christian Knees (Sky) tucked in right behind him.

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 for only $50 USD.  International shipping is available.

If you are enjoying reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork be sure to check out my recently publish book on the Tour de France, Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France.  The book is available through most every online book sellers around the world, just google the title to learn where you can get your copy and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2522858---195767/Painting.html#.VP58pPzF-xU

Paris Nice Stage 1: Tooling Along

Once the peloton had pulled the two escapees back to within 2 minutes they really pulled back the throttle.  Perhaps they were just toying with the pair up the road, but their average speed was only 35 kilometers per hour (that would be the top end of what I could hope to manage) well under what the organizers thought would be the slowest possible rate of speed.  Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx-Quickstep) did most of the pace setting, nearly 150 kilometers, on the front of the peloton honoring the tradition of the team that holds the Yellow Jersey rides tempo on the front.  Vandenbergh was marked closely by Astana, Team Sky, and Orica GreenEdge.

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 for only $50 USD.  International shipping is available.

If you are enjoying reading about cycling with this accompanying artwork be sure to check out my recently publish book on the Tour de France, Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France.  The book is available through most every online book sellers around the world, just google the title to learn where you can get your copy and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2522856---195767/Painting.html#.VP56IfzF-xU

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Strength in Numbers

Etixx-Quickstep managed to get the perfect numbers in the final break away of the day.  Somehow they got three of their men, Niki Terpstra, Stijn Vandenbergh and Tom Boonen and had only one other rider with them, Ian Stannard (Team Sky).  Both Boonen and Terpstra are very experienced racers of the Classics, however, Stannard is the defending champion of this race.  Etixx-Quickstep had the added luxury of having yet another rider in the three man chasing group.  Stannard did have a slight advantage, with etiquette and expectation allowing him to sit in on the back of the group foregoing any pulls with his nose in the wind.

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.

If you are enjoying reading about cycling this way and the accompanying artwork, be sure to check out my recently published book, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"
http://www.greigleach.com/gallery/201710/Book+de+Tour/#.VPOW8vnF-xU

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2519190---195767/Painting.html#.VPOmo_nF-xU

Tour of Flanders: Getting His Third

And the winner of the game of cat and mouse... Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) claimed his third victory, and the second in a row, of the Tour of Flanders, nipping Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) at the line, with Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin Pro Cycling) punching the air in frustration as he takes third ahead of Stijn Vandenbergh (Omega Pharma Quickstep).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com, or you could follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2342033---195767/Painting.html#.U0IXys_D_IU

Tour of Flanders: Playing Cat and Mouse

With everyone else too far back to catch these four leaders as they slid under the one kilometer to go banner, it was time to figure out how to beat each other to the line.  So they started feigning attacks, swinging to the opposite sides of the road, and watching each other for the tell tale signs of the start of a sprint for the finish.  No one wanted to be the first to go and they all wanted to be the last bike in the group (the easy place to start a surprise attack from).  At this point it is Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) on the front, looking over his shoulder in fear of the surprise turn of a pedal in anger.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by being the first to visited 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%202014/2342029---195767/Painting.html#.U0IVdM_D_IU