Paris Roubaix: Opening Up a Gap

Perhaps it is true that there is strength in numbers.  Once a group of 16 had managed to join forces off of the front of the peloton, the break finally started to build up a bit of a gap on the fast riding peloton behind.  Tacked onto the pack of the group was Matthew Hayman (Orica-GreenEdge).  Some of those ahead of the Australian were Michael Morkov (Katusha), Tim Declercq (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Marko Kump (Lampre-Merida). All along the route, the gendarmerie race ahead to warn the riders of dangers along the road.  Once the riders have swung past, the officers jump onto their motorcycles and rush past the race to take up their warning job again.

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.  In addition this painting, and all of my cycling artwork, 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.

Be sure to discover my most recent book, Art of Cycling: Richnond 2015 UCI Road World Chanpionships.  You can find the book at your favorite online retailer or at www.artofcycling.bike.

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Omloop Het Nieuwsebald: Leaning In

The race saw the usual early break, one that build up a gab of almost six minutes before the peloton set off in pursuit.  As one would expect, the group of twelve was mainly comprised of the Continental squads mainly from Belgium,  Amongst those in the escapees where Maixme Farazijn (Topsport-Vlaanderen), Stef Van Zummerin (Veranda's Willens), Julien Morice (Direct Energie), Hugo Hofstetter (Cofidis).  The only member of a ProTour team was Alexis Gougeard (Ag2r La Mondiale).  As they swung through one sharp corner after another they knew that the peloton was growing ever closer.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson and Company, www.richesonart.com.  Plus this painting is avialable through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to purchase your piece of this early spring semi-classic.  International shipping is available.

Then there is my new book of the 2015 Road World Championships entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Available world wide and at www.artofcycling.bike.

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Liege Bastogne Liege: Up the Early Climb

The 101st running of the Liege Bastogne Liege included the requiste early breakaway.  This one was comprised of eight riders (although not are were visible).  They are hitting the second of the ten categorized climbs that faced the peloton as they covered the 253 kilometers of the French speaking section of Belgium.  The organizers of the race cruelly loaded all most all of the climbs in the back end of the race, including eight of the climbs in the last eighty kilometers of the day's racing.  Thousand upon thousand of loyal cycling fans turned out to cheer on their heroes and foes alike with the largest numbers lining the climbs like the Cote Saint-Roch.  Mainus Minaard (Wanty Groupe Gilbert) follows Diego Ulissi (Lampre Merida) and Otto Vergaede (Topsport Vlaaderen) up the short steep climb with the rest of the break blending into the throngs yelling their encouragements (or swigging their beers).

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 and most of my cycling art 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%20/2546688---195767/Painting.html#.VT3viCHBzGc

Paris Roubaix: Bumping Along

Mid April means it is time for the "Hell of the North" the fabled, Paris Roubaix.  Over 300 kilometers of racing and 100 of those kilometers are over some of the roughest cobble stones in the world.  This race is so known for those pieces of pave, that the trophy for the winner is a granite cobble stone.  Quite a humble award for such a noble undertaking.  The day had the early breakaway, originally numbering 9 riders that gained 9 minutes on the peloton before the chase began.  This is the back of the break away as the rumble over an early section of pave.  Alexis Gougeard (AG2R) follows Time Declercq (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Alexijs Saramotins (IAM Cycling) amongst the others as the group try and stay away from the favorites and the wantabes behind.

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.  They are a small family run art supply business in Wisconsin and have incredible great art making materials.  This painting is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular watercolor just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

If you are enjoying reading about Paris Roubaix with the accompanying artwork, be sure to search out my recently published, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France".  It can be found through most every online bookseller around the world.  Google the title to discover where you can get a copy and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2541126---195767/Painting.html#.VSr33fnF-xU

Ruta del Sol Final Stage: A Big Attack

After the peloton finally pulled back Paterski (CCC Spandi), Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaaderen) thought he would have a go at jumping the sprinters.  The final two kilometers were seemingly straight up to the finish.  Theuns waited for one of the Lotto Jumbo NL riders to swing off and in the loll, launched his big move.  With a much shorter distance to go, he had a slightly better chance of making it alone to the line, but yet again, it was still a long shot.  Or should I say, short shot?

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Yes, international shipping is available.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

If you have enjoyed reading about bike racing with the accompanying artwork please be sure to check out my new book, "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France"  The book is available through most online book stores worldwide.  Just Google the title to find where you can purchase the book and avoid international shipping charges.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Other%202015%20Cycling%20Art/2515984---206768/Painting.html#.VOvQfPnF-xU

Ruta del Sol Stage 4: Where Did They Go?

 The penultimate stage of the 61st edition of the Ruta del Sol brought a cold wet day to add to the challenges of 199.8 kilometers and a very steep climb to end the stage.  The early break for today was made up of nine riders from nine different teams.  The group started to disintegrate at about 145 kilometers into the stage.  At one point, as the break whipped through town, Simon Greschke (Giant-Alpecin), with Pieter Jacobs (Topsport Vlaanderen) on his wheel, looked around to discover that the rest of the group hadn't held his wheel.  The pair decided it was too far to go it alone, so they sat up and waited for the others.  At this point Greschke may have started planning an attack later on in the stage.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the family run art supply company, www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this painting 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.


If you like reading about cycling along with original art, be sure to check out my "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France" available online world wide through Amazon and other online book retailers.


http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Other%202015%20Cycling%20Art/2515210---206768/Painting.html#.VOp3s005DIU

Fleche Wallone: Bottle or Tow?

Given the pace of the day, Jonathan Clarke (United Healthcare) couldn't hang with these two in the early break, Ramunas Navadauskas (Garmin Sharp) and Preben Van Hecke (Topsport Vlaanderen).  As they started up another of the seemingly uncountable hills Van Hecke's team car came up to pass a bottle and maybe to give a little tow up the climb.  The nice touch was that shortly after this moment, the Director Sprotif passed a bottle to Navadauskas even though he was on a competing team.  However, when riders are in a break together, they are at least temporarily teammates in trying to hold off the peloton.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available from 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%202014/2352141---195767/Painting.html#.U1iGGcvD_IU

Fleche Wallone: First Three Away

This running of the Fleche Wallone, another of the Spring Monuments, started with a small three man break away comprised of one Pro Tour Team and two of the Wild Card invitational teams.  They were represented by Jonathan Clarke (United Healthcare), Preben Van Hecke (Topsport-Vlaanderen) and Ramunas Navadauskas (Garmin Sharp).  They built up a seven minute lead on the peloton, but then there was still a lot of short steep climbs ahead of them.  So the peloton knew that they would be relatively easy to pull back into the fold.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using watercolors and brushes from www.richesonart.com  This painting and all of my cycling artwork can be yours by visiting my artist website at 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%202014/2352135-94-90-195767/Painting/Sports.html#.U1iDYsvD_IU