UCI Worlds, Zurich 2024, Elite Men's Road Race: Anyone Coming?

One of my favorites in the peloton, Toms Skujins (Latvia) had gotten away from the group of favorites along with Ben Healy (Ireland).  They had already caught and dropped Tadej Pogacar's erstwhile companion Pavel Sivakov but still had to close another 38 seconds up to Pogacar.  Skujins was looking over the support motorcycles of both Shimano neutral support and race marshals to make sure no one was closing on them from behind.  In the Worlds, the riders don't have race radio, so figuring out what is happening on the road gets a bit tough to lay down a race strategy mid-race.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Anyone Coming? Z24-12" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Olympics 2024, Men's Road Race: Sorry About That

While looking back to see who was chasing them, Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakstan) brushed into his breakaway companion, Ben Healy (Ireland).  Lutsenko reached out and tapped the shoulder of the Irishman to let him know he was sorry for the momentary lapse of focus.  He could be pardoned for the goof, they have been racing for just under two hundred kilometers and the real racing hasn't really started yet.  They were building up an advantage on the peloton in search of the five guys up the road.  

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra. 

"Sorry About That PO24-53" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Olympics 2020: Popping on the Final Climb

With over two hundred kilometers in their legs already, the final climb was taking its toll on many at the back of the peloton.  Some, like Jan Polanc (Slovenia) had been working on the front for their team.  Others, like Eddie Dunbar (Ireland) had launched an attack and been pulled back by the peloton.  And then still others just found the distance and the pace too much like Merhawi Kudus (Eritrea) and the Spanish duo of Alejandro Valverde and Jesus Harrada.  

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826099-3-291661/Painting/popping-on-the-final-climb-o21-3.html

Olympics 2020, A Strong Move

While the early break was still up the road, in the peloton others were getting antsy to make their move.  With 50 kilometers to race it was none other Vincenzo Nibali (Italia) jumping out of the peloton on one of the two major climbs on the course.  His attack brought out Remco Evenpoel (Belgium) and Eddie Dunbar (Ireland).  Team Belgium had been setting the pace and covering all of the moves all day long.  Clearly they thought the day would belong to Wout Van Aerts.  After his performance at the end of the Tour de France, their faith in him wasn't misplaced.  They were so all in for Van Aerts, that the now former Olympic champion, Greg Van Avermaet, was the guy on the front setting the early place (sacrificing his chances of keeping the gold medal for another Olympics).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2020-Summer-Olympics/3826098-2-291661/Painting/a-strong-move-o21-2.html

Yorkshire 2019 - U23 Road Race: Just Off the Front

As is usual, a breakaway formed at the start of the course across the long flat section of the race.  With a couple of short steep climbs ahead of the circuit in Harrogate, the peloton never let this group get much of a gap.  It was Ben Healy (Ireland) leading the group that contained Stuart Balfour (Great Britain) and another of his teammates, along with Marijn Van Den Berg (Netherlands) and Alessandro Covi (Italy).  It was Covi that started the escape.  There are a few others in the group, but since you can't really see them huddling for warmth, I am not sure who is who amongst the others.

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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3397181-29-266225/Just%20Off%20the%20Front%20%20UCI19-29.html

Yorkshire 2019 - Elite Men's ITT: No Picnic

Riding an individual time trial is no picnic.  However it is a great opportunity for fans of cycling to enjoy one and some great bike racing.  This couple brought their Irish Wolfhounds to watch their dogs' countryman, Ryan Mullen (Ireland) ride by.  I am sure they were there to see most, if not all, of the others speed by as well.  I have seen some terrible scenes of dogs getting into the peloton in the past, but so far, all of the British dogs have been well behaved (and controlled).  Mullen, did not have an easy day of it finishing 32nd on the day.  I seem to remember him not getting the results he wanted when he raced as a Junior back in Richmond, Virginia in 2015.

You can watch this painting come to life as I talk about the race, watercolors and my history with cycling 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.

Please be sure to visit my YouTube Channel and subscribe if you like what you see.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Yorkshire%202019/3395462-21-266225/No%20Picnic%20%20UCI19-21.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Men's Road Race: No Time to Stop

Just as the early break was caught by the peloton, they were all riding through the feed zone.  Conor Dunne figure now was a good time to grab lunch, he is only about half way through the 259 kilometer race.  When I was racing amateur, I always thought I was too tall to make a serious go of racing (plus I wasn't winning every time I went out, either), but Dunne is the tallest professional cyclist by far.  He stands at 6' 8", so tall that I couldn't even fit his head into the painting!  The course had two feed zones where riders could attempt to grab bidons and musettes from the soigneurs since going to the team cars would expend too much energy.  The size of this peloton, 196 riders, meant the caravan was a long, long way away.

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/Bergen-2017-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3038026-50-239826/PaintingNo-Time-to-Stop--Bergen-50.html

Bergen 2017, Elite Men's Road Race: From the Start

It was two Irishman and an Azerbaijani (sounds like the start of a joke doesn't it?) who went on the attack right from the start of the Elite Men's Road Race.  Conor Dunne (Ireland), who had gotten in the early move here in Richmond, Virginia in 2015, looks over his shoulder at his teammate, Sean McKenna.  Between them is Elchin Asadov for Azerbaijan.  The trio would eventually be joined by seven more riders, and they would collectively build quite an advantage in the early part of the race.

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/Bergen-2017-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3038004-47-239826/PaintingFrom-the-Start--Bergen-47.html

Rio Olympics: A Scrappy One

I searched out some Olympic Boxing to paint.  I happened to find this bout as it was about half way through the the first round.  The matches had moved into the elimination round, so one of these two men were fighting their last match in these Olympic games.  In the end the match went to Carmona Hereda (Spain) in a split decision.  That left Patty Barnes (Ireland), the defending Bronze Medalist from 2012, without a chance to repeat or improve his placing in London.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2834944-43-226051/PaintingA%20Scrappy%20One%20Rio43-Greig-Leach.html#.V6oHDpgrLIU

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Wearing the Green

Ryan Mullen of Team Ireland, had the advantage of being the penultimate rider to circumnavigate the 30 kilometer course due to his claiming silver on Ponferrada, Spain last year.  Unfortunately, his favored status forced him to race in deteriorating conditions.  As the afternoon wore on, the heavy grey skies finally drizzled cold rain on the speeding time trialist and the winds continued to blow harder.  Without the worsening weather Mullen may have been able to trade his silver for gold, instead he missed the podium altogether.

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.