Tour '25, Stage: Winning in Yellow!

While most of his rivals recovered well from yesterday's brutal hot stage, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) still was able to put time into every other guy still in this Tour de France.  By taking his fourth stage (so far) he added another thirty-six seconds to his lead in the general classification.  When Mark Cavendish broke Eddy Merckx's record number of Tour stage wins of 34, he told Pogacar to not break his record too quickly.  Today marks his 21 stage wins.  It is mathematically impossible for him to set a new Tour record this year, but I see him setting a new one in the next two years, maximum!  He was so composed today, that as he crossed the line, he stopped his data collection and then saluted the crowd in victory.  It may be a very long Tour for the rest of the peloton.

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 work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Winning in Yellow TdF25-87" (Original art by Greig Leach)

This painting has sold!

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne: Taking It Alone

Surprising perhaps even himself, Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) was able to hold off the scrambling chase group and grab a rare solo victory in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.  This race with its relatively smooth flat 50 kilometers is normally a race for the sprinters and is noted for its group sprints.  Today, however, it was proven that nothing in cycling is a given, and if you have the will and the legs, you can take the race in hand on your own.  It doesn't hurt if the group chasing is also hoping to get those further behind back into the race.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and many, many other pieces of cycling art are 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.

Plus, I have just released my second book, this one entitled, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  Obviously, it focus on the 2015 Championships that took place here in Richmond, Virginia this past September and includes my paintings and writings on all of the races contested on the very streets that I ride every week.

I am having trouble with loading my artwork on to my website.  Please email me at greigsart@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing this work, or any of my other Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne paintings.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Are We All Here?

Lupus Racing looked around as they approached the finish line.  In a UCI World Road Racing Team Time Trial the team's time is taken as the fourth rider crosses the line.  So those on the front of the reduced pack look back over their shoulders to make sure they have the required number tucked onto their wheel.  Most teams, including Lupus, don't manage to bring all six riders to the line together.  Some of the team will exhaust themselves and then do there best to finish in hopes that the stronger riders will achieve a winning time.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that is available as an original or two different size prints at the Convention Center.  Later they can be purchased through www.richmond.com.  This was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.

Giro d'Italia Stage 16: The Stage & the Jersey

Wow!  That is about all that needs to be said about Nairo Quintana's (Movistar) performance today.  And the same can be said for the man a few seconds behind him, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin Sharp).  Having battle illness through the first two thirds of the Giro, Quintana has been chipping away at the leads of those ahead of him on GC.  While there will be quite a few discussions about his attacking the descent of the Stelvio, it can't be denied that he rode away from everyone on the final climb.  Even if he had been with Evans and Uran, I am sure he would have gotten away regardless.  Maybe his lead might have been less, but he earned his new pink jersey with authority.  Coincidently, he alos took the lead in the Maglia Blanco as the rider 23 and under with the best time.  In 2013, he won that jersey and the King of the Mountains Polka Dot Jersey in the Tour de France.  Ryder earned a couple of moves up the GC for his ride and Rolland managed to get third on the stage, still looking for the elusive stage win.  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 follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2370898---198213/Painting.html#.U4U4D8_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 5: For the Home Team

The Giro now has its first Italian stage winner, with the added bonus of Diego Ulissi riding for the Italian team, Lampre-Merida.  Ulissi launched a very powerful counter attack off of Rafal Maika (Tinkoff Saxo) to take a very commanding gap over the rest of the peloton.  The other big winner of the day was the second place finisher Cadel Evans (BMC), who grabbed a 5 second time bonus and gained seconds on the rest of the GC contenders.  Cadel is now 15 seconds behind the Maglia Rosa of countryman, Michael Matthews (Orica GreenEdge0 and just one second behind the second placed, Peter Weening (Orica GreenEdge).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be purchased 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%202014/2363929---198213/Painting.html#.U3P6M8_D_IU