Tour de France 23, Stage 4: An American in France

The newly honored road champion of the USA, Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) looks back for his team car during the middle section of Stage 4 of the Tour.  Simmons will be called upon shortly to rev up the pace at the intermediate sprint for his teammate Mads Pedersen.  He would again drop off the pace inorder to go back to pace setting for the finale.  Just ahead of the American champion, Aurelien Paret-Peintre (Ag2r-Citroen) was scurrying to get back onto the tail of the group as the pace began to increase.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3963711-20-297438/Painting/an-american-in-france-tdf23-20.html

 

Paris Nice 23, Stage 2: The Tip of the Tail

Today’s stage looked nearly pancake flat.  The organizers and most of the riders had hoped that the winds would come and blow the race into broken shards of echelons.  Fortunately for those like Thibaut Guernalec (Arkea Samsic) who had crashed in the opening stage yesterday, the winds didn’t blow up.  While he was struggling to hold onto the last wheel of the peloton, he along with the rider from Uno-X and Mauro Schmid (Soudal-Quickstep) it was a lot easier to stay in contact without the wind blowing across the fields and into the riders of Paris Nice.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Paris-Nice/3938324-85-272742/Painting/the-tip-of-the-tail.-pn23-3.html

Tour, Stage 7: A Long Flat Stage

This is one of the paintings were I am very satisfied with how the sky turned out.  This stretch of road is usually used near the end of the Tour.  The road leads to Chartes, just a half hour train ride out of P
aris.  Today's stage was the longest of this year's Tour at 231 kilometers.  With the exception of a brief moment where the peloton split is some relatively mild cross winds, it was a rather relaxed stage with the peloton riding almost an hour behind the slowest predicted time.  That alone was a good thing for the American Lawson Craddock (EF Education First) amongst others.  Craddock has been nursing his injuries from Stage 1 and has been fearing having to head home every stage.  He has been raising money, getting fans (and himself) to pledge money to a Huston cycling group and Velodrome that suffered mightly in last fall's hurricanes.

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France-2018/3187218-34-251072/PaintingA-Long-Flat-Stage--T18-34.html

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: The Rising Peloton

The peloton swung off of the main road and started up the cobbled climb of Libbie Hill.  As they made the turn, they passed under the arch announcing where they were.  It seems ironic to me that the climb appeared to be sponsored by Virginia Tourism.  Their slogan is "Virginia Is for Lovers."   I am quite sure that most of the peloton wasn't feeling any love for the roadway beneath there wheels, nor how many times they were going to have to pass under the "lover's sign"

I was tickled that the original of this painting was bought before I had even finished the line work part of the process.  But then it is a pretty strong image that tells the story of the days racing.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Dauphine Stage 3: Along the River's Edge

After climbing the Col de la Mure, the second of two Cat 2 climbs on today's stage, the peloton dropped down to speed along the edge of the Rhone River for a flat 39 kilometer all out run to Le Teil.  With that much distance from the final climb to the finishing line, it was likely to be a day for the sprinters.  Sadly for Trek Factory Racing, their sprinter, Giacomo Nizzoli, crashed out of the race before getting to contest a single sprint in the Dauphine.  He had the frustration earlier in the Giro d'Italia of always finishing second to other sprinters at the Italian finish lines.  This is an original small (4"x6") watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy on this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of the post to get this piece of art from the 66th installment of the Criterium du Dauphine.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2387224---199476/.html#.U6Iyb8_D_IU

Tour Down Under: Full On

Once the break had been caught it was time for some full on racing as the sprinter and their teams began fighting for position.  With all of the effort going into getting their lead out trains organized the speeds started to reach 50 kph, it got to be real hard to hold onto the back of the peloton.  The peloton moves almost like a flock of birds and the shape can tell you the story of what is happening at anytime in the race.  And when it is stretched out in a long line like this, the speed is full on.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting 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/Tour%20Down%20Under%202014/2299313---194179/Painting.html#.UuXLW8so7IU

US Pro Challenge Stage One: Popping Off the Back

One of the problems with racing in Colorado is the altitude and the lack of oxygen in the air.  I personally  have had difficulties breathing climbing outside of this very same valley back when I was a young man.  Many of the members of the peloton had come to the area two weeks ahead of the race trying to acclimate themselves to the high elevations, Team Sky was not one of the teams that took this tact.  Chris Froome and the rest of the team paid the price on the final climb of the day once the chase of the break was truly on.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours  by bidding in a quick three day auction on ebay.   Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the US Pro Challenge.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251323177948