Giro, Stage 20: Two Guys, Two Minutes

The last two members of the early break were, Dries Devenyns (Quickstep) and Dylan Teuns (BMC).  The pair had gotten to the valley floor between the last two climbs of the 100th Giro d'Italia with a two minute advantage over the gruppa maglia rosa.  Devenyns may have been looking to help his teamate, Bob Jungels, regain the Maglia Bianca, but Teuns was on the front looking for stage glory for himself.  I have enjoyed seeing all of the pink decorations along the course of each and every stage.  Today it seemed to be the day for the pink pennants to festoon the yards along the roadside.

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.

With the racing of the 100th Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in helping this book get made, please consider backing the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included. With Kickstarter, if there is not a 100% funded, no one is charged a dime, and the project recieves 0% funding.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2974145-137-235247/PaintingTwo-Guys,-Two-Minutes-G17-145.html

Giro, Stage 15: Got Any Snacks?

Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac) dropped back to the Vittoria Tires sponsored neutral service car to get a water bottle.  After he had gotten that, he gestured to his mouth with a squeezing action apparently trying to get an energy gel or two.  The spread of riders all over the course meant that he had missed his chance to get any food from his team car and was fearing that he might bonk on the way into the finale in Bergamo.  With just 13 kilometers left to race the fact that he couldn't get any gels probably won't have any effect on his nutrition before the finish.  However, riders must be sure not to deplete their reserves, after all tomorrow they must race again.  Actually, tomorrow is a rest day, but the basic rule still applies.

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.

With the racing of the 100th Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in helping this book get made, please consider backing the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included. With Kickstarter, if there is not a 100% funded, no one is charged a dime, and the project recieves 0% funding.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2970719-99-235247/PaintingGot-Any-Snacks?-G17-107.html

Giro, Stage 9: Sailing into Pink

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) was finally able to shake his two companions and solo his way to the top of the Blockhaus climb.  He crossed the line 18 seconds ahead of Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) who as joined by Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) at the line.  Nibali faded at the end coming in over a minute behind the new Maglia Rosa of Quintana, but still managing 5th on the day.  Today was a day that shook up the general classification, but with the first individual time trial after Monday's rest day, it is sure to change again.  Given Quintana's less than perfect time trialing prowess, it may not have been enough a margin today, to keep pink after stage 10.

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.

With the start of the Giro d'Italia, I am crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  I could use your support in making this book get made, please consider supporting the project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/art-of-cycling-100th-giro-ditalia.  This will be just one of the hundred plus paintings that will be included.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/100th-Giro-dItalia/2966851-65-235247/PaintingSailing-into-Pink.html

Giro Stage 12: Continuing On

Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal) had sprinted out of the peloton for the intermediate sprint points inbetween the two climbs of the day.  Once he had gotten off of the front of the group, he decided that he might as well continue on.  The breakaways have been succeeding at a surprisingly high percentage of the time, perhaps that peloton would get it wrong yet again.  Then there is always the thought that without taking a chance, I am sure he felt he had no chance of a stage win.  Any chance no matter how slim is better than no chance at all.  Vittoria, an Italian tire manufacturer, is sponsoring the neutral service vehicles.  They are there to provide a replacement wheel or bike should Vaeraeke have a mechanical while his team car is trapped behind the peloton.  As Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge) learned today, that wait for the team car can be very long indeed.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the American family run art supply company, Jack Richeson & Company, www.richesonart.com.  This painting is available for purchase through my artist website for the low price of $50 USD, plus shipping (including international shipping).  To buy this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2557676---184157/Painting.html#.VV463flViko

Giro Stage 9: Turning for Home

Astana is having an amazing Giro.  With Fabio Aru and Mikel Landa safely stuck like glue to the Maglia Rosa of Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo) Paolo Tiralongo was free to chase down the last man ahead of his erstwhile break away companions.  Unfortunately for Tom Jelte Slagter (Cannondale Garmin) the charging Italian was able to fly past the flagging Dutchman on his way to another Italian stage win.  His gap was large enough for the race organizers to allow the neutral service vehicle and some of the race motos inbetween the pair of stage hopefuls.

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, www.richesonart.com.  This painting is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting for only $50 USD, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  International shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2555490---184157/Painting.html#.VVkJZCFViko

Giro Stage 4: Holding Them Off

Most everyone was surprised to see the young Italian, Davide Formolo (Cannondale Garmin), hold off some very experience riders on the final climb of Stage 4 into Le Spezia.  Apparently, he proved his abilities last year when he finished just behind Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) in the Italian National Road Racing Championships.  Spoiler alert, Formolo kept the entire peloton at bay taking a solo victory on the streets of Le Spezia 22 seconds ahead of the head of the rest of the field.  Behind Formolo, you can see one of the neutral service vehicles sponsored by Vittoria.  Vittoria is a very familiar logo having donned many of the tires on my road bikes over the years.

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.  They are a lovely family run business that has incredible art supplies for professionals and hobbyist alike.  In addition, this painting (and all of my cycling art) is available for purchase 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2553578---184157/Painting.html#.VVPM5yHBzGc

Giro Day Sixteen: Shedding Layers

With snow on the mountain passes and sunshine in the valleys, it was a tough day for the riders to get their clothing right.  But, like good boy scouts, they were prepared with layers of clothing to shed as they and the day warmed up.  Weening knows that he doesn't have to worry about the cold wind of descents any more in the stage so he is passing his jacket to the neutral service vehicle.  These vehicles are available to all of the riders, particularly when their team car can't get to them in a moment of need.  The logo on the side, Vittoria, are Italian tire makers, my first racing bike had Vittoria sew-ups on it.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard and can be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of the post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2153227---184157/Painting.html#.UaU4Us_D_IU