Tour, Stage 5: Trying to Catch Back On

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) had a truly badly timed  flat tire at the base of the final climb.  Just as the teams of the climbing sprinters (Peter Sagan and Michael Matthews) drove the pace to shed the rest of the sprint masters, Boasson Hagen had to chase from behind up the climb of the Cote des Cinq Chateaux.  He could take some solace know he was the only guy in the caravan behind the race going forward as everyone else was dropping way of the pace.  He eventually caught the peloton at the top, but he was too gassed to feature in the finale.

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.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3358263-24-263530/Trying%20to%20Catch%20Back%20On%20%20TDF19-24.html

Giro, Stage 16: Leading Them Down

The trip down the back side of the Passo del Stelvio was a fast as it was slow on the way up.  It could be argued that the hairpin turns are just as difficult going up as they are going down as well.  The main difference is that if you blow it on the way down you can get very seriously hurt. Andrey Amador (Movistar) was the first one down the backside of the mountain, braking hard into the turns and then sprinting back out the other side.

The cycling fan (and cyclist) photographing on the inside of the corner will need a very fast shutter speed to capture anything other than a blur of color given the speed of the peloton's descent.

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/2970923-103-235247/PaintingLeading-Them-Down-G17-111.html

Tour, Second Rest Day

I spent my rest day catching up on all of things that I have let slide during the days of racing.  Then I got out for a ride trying to imitate Tom Dumoulin's win on top of Andorre Arcalis.  As I climbed a two mile long hill near my home in Richmond, Virginia, I was caught by what turned out to be a rather severe storm.  I, like Dumoulin, was belted by hail as I road up to the summit of the climb.  I hadn't been in the saddle for anywhere near as long as he did when he won Stage 9 in the Pyrenees.  My wife snapped this picture when I met her in the gym after my ride.  On the drive home, traffic lights and power were out everywhere.  Plus traffic was at a stand still due to downed trees and power lines.  Apparently I was quite a bit luckier then I realized.

Now it is time to get some rest ahead of tomorrows big stage through the Swiss Alps.