Giro Stage 16: With Authority

First, I can't believe that BeIn Sports went to commercial just as Alberto Contador (Tinkoff Saxo) caught up to the Astana duo of Fabio Aru and Mikel Landa!  Who thought that was a good idea.  So I have know idea if the Maglia Rosa said anything about the attack in the valley.  But I do know that the Spaniard let his legs do the talking.  He didn't even slow when he caught his quarry.  Prior to Contador's arrival, Landa had obviously been holding back to keep his team leader on his wheel.  Aru was suffering.  As was Yury Trofimov (Katusha), it was his GC placement that set first Katusha on the offensive and prompt Astana to chase across the valley, so Contador had no interest in letting any of these guys catch his wheel.

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.  The 4"x6" painting is available from my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular art work for $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/Giro%20d%20Italia/2559988---184157/Painting.html#.VWUQ8_lViko

Tour Stage 18: Parting the Sea

The climbs of the Tour de France are always lined with enthusiastic fans of the sport, many whom have camped for days to see these titans of the sport ride by.  Some have had a bit to drink and will be a little too eager to shout for (or against) the riders as they attempt to part the sea of fans, flags and banners.  Each group of riders will be accompanied by one of the Gendarmes that support and secure the race, using their motorcycles as a rather effective battering ram.  The officer has to stay far enough ahead of the riders so as not to offer a slipstream to shelter the riders, but not so far ahead that the crowd will simply close in back around his motorcycle to get in the face of the struggling riders.  Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale), Yury Trofimov (Katusha) and Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp-Endura) are the third group to squeeze through the throngs of fans as they approach the summit of one of the monster of the Tour.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  This painting along with all of my artwork of the 101st Tour de France will be included in my soon to be self published tome, "Book de Tour."  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy or to discover how you can be a part of bringing this beautiful race to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  Be sure to check out the generous Backer Rewards for those who choose to pledge their support to the "Book de Tour" project.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  But don't you want a copy of the book as well?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2407958---199992/Painting.html#.U9HYg8_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 7: Absolutely Everything

Lieuwe Westra (Astana) has been in search of a stage win almost every day of the Dauphine.  Yesterday he was just nipped at the line by the superior sprint of Jan Bakelants (OPQS) much to the Dutchman's frustration.  He must have decided that he wasn't going to make the same mistake today.  He was distanced by the attacks of both Yury Trofimov (Katusha) and later Egor Silin (Katusha), but he didn't give up.  He kept riding as hard as he could, eventually catching the two Russians inside of the final kilometer.  It was obvious by the way that he just stopped, almost hitting the wall as he crossed the line, I am sure if there had not been a helper to grab him he would have fallen to the ground right there.  He had nothing left to even wave a victorious salute.  The race organizers were prepare for how exhausted the riders would be, they had arranged helpers to catch the riders as they crossed the line and to push them over the crest of the mountain.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting, 4 inches by 6 inches, 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. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2389638---199476/Painting.html#.U6b6WM_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 7: Soaring on Their Wheels

After Yury Trofimov (Katusha) rode away from the break away, the first to come up to him was his teammate, Egor Silin (Katusha).  The team obviously had a plan and a very strong desire to take a third stage in this Criterium du Dauphine.  I wonder if the plan was to let Silin take the stage so the team could have three different riders take a stage.  I was very impressed to see the wheel chair riding fan so high up the mountain.  They are currently over a kilometer from the summit so it was either a scary ride down the mountain or a very, very long trip up.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting (4"x6") that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to bet your piece of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2388558---199476/Painting.html#.U6T2Z8_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 7: Over the Top

Yury Trofimov (Katusha) went on the offensive on the Col de la Forclez, he was the first over the top of the climb and the first to ride out of France into Switzerland.  Katusha has been wrapping up their trip to the Dauphine very nicely having grapped two stage wins, one going to Trofimov just three days ago.  It looks like the plan was to make it three wins at the end of the day.  While he picked up maximum points in the King of the Mountains competition, Alessandro De Marchi padded his lead on the earlier climbs of the stage (prior to TV coverage) pretty much insuring his holding the Polka Dot jersey through the final day of racing.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting (4"x6") that could be yours by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine.  And yes, I do ship anywhere in the world.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2388552---199476/Painting.html#.U6TyMs_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 4: Solo Victory

Yury Trofimov (Katusha) managed to do what all riders in a break away hope for, he got the stage win!  Trofimov got into the 13 man break, the one that finally stuck, and then launched an attack on the final climb of the day up the Col du Manse.  He increased his lead over his erstwhile compatriots on the descend and managed to hold them all of across the flats into the City of Gap.  I am not aware of the number of stages or races he has won, but he did break one of the cardinal rules of victory salutes. As he approached the line he check to make sure no one was coming, crossed himself and in his joy forgot to zip up his jersey.  Team sponsors put their logos across the riders chests in hope of the victorious arm raised photograph that they can use for publicity.  Unless a cameraman caught this view from behind, there won't be any Katusha posters of this stage win into Gap.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that could be yours 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/Dauphine%202014/2387304---199476/Painting.html#.U6JEY8_D_IU

Dauphine Stage 4: Along the Valley Road

Stage four featured the largest break away group thus far in the Dauphine.  After several different groups attempted to get away (all were pulled back because they were too high up on the GC) this group established itself with a maximum of almost four minutes on the peloton and the Yellow Jersey.  Some of those represented included the best placed on GC, Yury Trofimov (Katusha) along with Christian Meier (Orica GreenEdge), Andriy Grivko (Astana), Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) and Jan Bakelants (OPQS).  Once the group hit the road into Gap ahead of the final climb up the Col du Manse, the peloton ramped up its speed in order to position the favorites for the coming ascent.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from the Jack Richeson Company, www.richesonart.com  Also this work 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. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2387294---199476/Painting.html#.U6I-HM_D_IU