Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Now We Can Rejoice

This seems like the perfect title to end my work on the 97th Giro d'Italia.  We have been witnesses to some great racing, ecstatic jubilation, and crushing disappointment, but all in all we have seen bike racing at its finest.  I don't know if Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is superstitious but I did notice that he did not do any outward signs of victory celebration, no champagne during the stage, no visiting each team car to be congratulated.  All he allowed himself was a fist pump as he crossed the final finishing line of the Giro and then the hugs and cheers from first his team and then all of Colombia.  During the broadcast on BeIn Sports, I learned from Daniel Lloyd and Carlton Kirby, that this is the first of the three Grand Tours ever that a Western European never held the leader's jersey.  In this Giro the Maglia Rosa went from a Canadian to two different Australians and then to two different Colombians.  This is a wonderful indication of the growth of cycling and its International appeal.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

This is the end of my Giro d'Italia cycling pieces, they will remain available at my website.  I will enjoy a break, just like the peloton.  But I will be back in a couple of weeks painting another race, most likely the Criterium de Dauphine, followed by the 101st Tour de France.  Thank you for follow my artwork and a special thank you to all who have bought one of these little paintings for your own.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2374006---198213/Painting.html#.U4uXV8_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Last Minute Attack

Also using the climb to get away, Daniel Oss (BMC) got away from the peloton on the bell lap and stormed down the back side of the climb towards the finishing line with a small gap on the sprinter's teams.  The climb had slowed up the trains and it took some valuable seconds to figure out who was were and did there man have a chance to get to the line.  Oss used those seconds to his advantage, but never got far enough away to make his break stick.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard (4"x6") that is available for purchase through 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/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373982---198213/Painting.html#.U4uPTM_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Using the Climb

The next two to jump out of the peloton in hopes of surprising the peloton, used the sharp short climb ahead of the finishing line to stretch their legs.  Stefano Pirazzi (Baridaini CSF) was covered by Valerio Agnoli (Astana) as the crested the peak on the fifth time around the 7.3 kilometer loop.  Tens of thousands of fans lined the course craning their necks and straining at the barriers to get a glimpse of the action and a photograph of their heroes.  After yesterday's fan debacle, it was good to see everyone out of the way and well behaved.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373976---198213/Painting.html#.U4uM4c_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: The First to Attack

Once the first lap had been completed and the honor and respect had been paid to the Maglia Rosa of Nairo Quintana (Movistar) it was time to get down to racing.  The first two, to quote Phil Ligget, to turn a pedal in anger where Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) and Svein Tuft (Orica GreenEdge) under the watchful eye of the following TV Moto.  All of the racing is covered by multiple camera men on the backs of motorcycles following the racers most every move, combined with two camera mounted helicopters and some stationary cameras at the finishing line.  It is the rare sporting event that will cover hundreds of kilometers of open road rather than being limited to a stadium.  Tuft won the Maglia Rosa on the first day of road racing in Belfast and spent time as the Lanterne Rouge (the last on the general classification), but went on the attack to show the jersey of Orica GreenEdge who are down to just two riders.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4"x6" and is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not take the time to browse around all of the artwork on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373974---198213/Painting.html#.U4uIZMvD_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Parading Quintana Home

Cycling is a sport full of traditions, pageantry and unwritten rules, one tradition of the final stage of a Grand Tour is for the team of the overall leader to parade around the first lap of the final circuit of the final stage.  Another is to share a glass of champagne with the Director Sportif while tooling along on the stage, but Movistar opted out of that one (or at least it didn't happen under the eye of the TV Moto).  The circuit in Trieste included a sharp little climb about 3 kilometers from the finishing line, that seemed the appropriate place to show Quintana and his Movistar team.  After all it was in the mountains where he won the 97th Giro d'Italia.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4 inches by 6 inches and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  Also, this painting and indeed all of my cycling art, is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com for only $50 USD.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of Nairo Quintana's first Grand Tour win.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373962---198213/Painting.html#.U4uDQMvD_IU