TDF, Stage 8: Dressing Up

On the Cote de Mont Saxonnex, the first Catagory 1 climb of this Tour, Ion Izagirre (Astana-Permier Tech) drops back to get a rain cape for the coming descent.  It has been a very wet day, and the high speed descents in wet clothes can make for a very chilly ride down the mountain.  There are a lot of factors that go into just finishing the Tour, let alone winning it.  Catching a cold can quickly ruin a rider's chance of making it all of the way to the Champs Elysees.  Just ahead, Nans Peters (Ag2r-Citroen) is struggling to hold the wheels of this chasing group.  They are all facing a second big climb and another 47 kilometers before the end of today's effort.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/2021-Tour-de-France/3821670-45-291436/Painting/dressing-up-tdf21-44.html

Dauphine, Stage 7: Off Loading

Jorge Arcas (Movistar) used the flat lands to off load his jacket now that he was done the final descent of the day.  Ahead his break away companions were getting ready for the final ascent of the day.  Two of thos with the Spaniard on the Spanish team were Martijn Tusveld (Team DSM) and Michael Valgren (EF Eduation-Nippo).  With just under 25 kilometers to go (although most were uphill) it was looking like these members of the break might have a chance to take the stage.  It would be stunning to see yet another stage of this Dauphine go to the break rather than the peloton.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above.  Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815689-118-185083/Painting/off-loading-cd21-34.html

 

Giro, Stage 15: Riding in the Rain

Nothing like a cold, wet day for a bike ride (or race in this case).  The peloton faces a number of catagorized climbs and some step ones that only showed on the profile today.  Joe Dombrowski (EF Education First) was one of his team that set a hard pace for most of the stage.  I, nor the commentators could quite figure out why they were riding so hard.  They even had a rider in the break up the road.  Spoiler alert, it didn't produce any discernable results.  Behind, the maglia rosa was being covered up by Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) as his teammates looked on.  Others close on the general classification like, Sergio Henao (Sky) and Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) were keeping a close eye on the young Brit in pink.

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.

Apparently, my website has decided not to let me load images today.  If you are interested in this painting, please email me at greigsart@gmail.com.  All payments can be routed through PayPal for your security, and mine.

Ruta del Sol Stage 4: Shedding Layers

The weather became another competitor in today's stage, the combination of muddy roads, cold, wind and rain, followed by an emerging rays of sun.  The riders were hard pressed to get their clothing right, the right amount of layers, arm warmers, vest, rain capes were constantly being handed back and forth between riders and their team cars.  At some points, racers would simply pass gear to different team cars figuring it would get sorted out at the end of the day.  Simon Greschke (Giant-Alpecin) took heart from is early escape from the break, to press on in earnest, this time he had the big man from Wanty-Groupe Gobert, Mirko Selvaggi, along for the ride.  Greschke must have been feeling really strong as he rarely forced Selvaggi to do his share on the front.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting 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.  And yes, international shipping is available.


If you like reading about cycling along with original art, be sure to check out my "Book de Tour - Art of the 101st Tour de France" available online world wide through Amazon and other online book retailers.


http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Other%202015%20Cycling%20Art/2515212---206768/Painting.html#.VOp6vk05DIU

Tour Stage 19: In the Spray

There are so many complications when the skies open up on the peloton.  For the riders the rain brings dangers roads where a slick painted line on the road can leave you sliding butt first across the road or the grit that has washed onto the tarmac can send slivers into your tires leaving you with a flat and a hard chase back onto the peloton after a wheel change.  And then there is the misery of 5 hours of wet feet, cold and the constant spray of dirty ditch water being sprayed up into your face from the bikes, motorcycles and support vehicles that form the modern peloton.  For those of us who are covering the race or watching as avid fans, with race capes that cover numbers, it can be very difficult to tell who is who, or even what team the riders are on.  Race organizers have attached transponders to the cyclist's bikes, but even that method fails when a rider has to have a bike change.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  The painting along with all of my art 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 become a part of bringing this Tour to print, please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are some excellent rewards for those who choose to pledge their support, but do hurry the funding period ends on the 4th of August.  To purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2408444---199992/Painting.html#.U9My9MvD_IU

Tour Stage 9: Wardrobe Change

Ironically the weather has been miserable since the Tour arrived in France, particularly since it was nothing but sunshine in rainy old England.  The riders have been hard pressed to keep warm and dry with the sudden changes from warm and somewhat dry to cold and wet, and then back again.  With the peloton on the climb of the Cote de Gueberschwihr just riding tempo, it was easy for Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida) to get clear so he could safely pull on his rain coat a somewhat difficult task going up a mountain at forty kilometers an hour.  Chris Horner is another of the senior statesmen of the peloton, only a few months younger than Jen Voigt (Trek Factory Racing).  Horner has found the strength and determination to have fought back from a rather horrific training crash in the early part of the season.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com  It will also be one of the images included in my art book of the 2014 Tour de France, "Book de Tour".  To learn more about the book project, to pre-order your copy or to get involved in bringing the 101st Tour to print please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are a wide variety of incentives most including an author/artist signed copy of the book starting at $5 USD.  If you would like to purchase this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2402068---199992/Painting.html#.U8MrjMvD_IU

Tour Stage 8: Preparing for Rain

With unbelievably dark clouds threatening to dump buckets of water on the heads of the peloton, domestiques and leaders dropped back to their team cars to get rain capes, vests, and warmer clothes.  The rain rolled in just as the peloton reached the base of the first Category 2 of the Tour, the climb up Col de la Croix des Moinats.  With the kind of rain they were about to ride through and the two descents before the final climb, I am sure many were worried that more crashes were bound to happen.  Some of call this the "Tour des Chutes" the Tour of Crashes, but as Chris Horner (Lampre-Merida) point out, the first week of the Tour is always the same, and everyone always says, "this is the worst it has ever been".  As you can see by Arnold Jeannesson's (FDJ) struggles, it can be rather difficult to grab a jacket from a car and put it on (right side out) at 40 kilometers an hour.  Maciej Bodnar (Team Cannondale) had about half of the team at the back with him, the rest were up front trying to keep Peter Sagan up with the leaders.  This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that is available through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  This painting will be included in my soon to be self published cycling art book, "Book de Tour"  To learn more about the book project, to pre order your copy and to discover how you can become involved, please visit my Kickstarter project at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1335072134/book-de-tour.  There are a number of exciting incentives for project backers that start at only $5 USD, anything $25 USD and above includes the "Book de Tour" signed by the author and artist (me).  If you would like to purchase this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202014/2401736---199992/Painting.html#.U8Ivw8vD_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 6: Expecting Rain

Stage 6 from Sassano to Montecassino was set to be one of the long stages of the Giro, but it was lengthened to 257 kilometers because of a landside on the original course.  The riders had to contend with a long day that looked to be ending with a heavy down pour before the final climb of the day.  A pro cyclist spends so much time on his bike, that he is capable of doing most anything while continuing to ride, including pulling on (and off) a rain coat, like Sebastien Chavanel (FDJ) as he road along with Arnaud Courteille (FDJ) and Giovanni Bernaudeau (Europcar).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website, 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%202014/2364481---198213/Painting.html#.U3Wd0M_D_IU

Volta Catalunya Stage 2: Trying to Stay Dry

Professional cyclist spent an inordinate amount of time on their bikes, often 6 to 8 hours a day, so it is an extension of their bodies.  It is as easy for them to dress or undress on a rainy road at 40 kph as it is for you or I to change a jacket while walking down the street.  I, however, don't have that much confidence that I won't hit the pavement if I were to try this.  Here it is Michael Koch (Cannondale) pulling on a rain cape in hopes of keeping out the relentless cold rain that accompanied is fellow break away companions on the road to Gerona.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that could be yours by visiting my artist website, www.greigleach.com, or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2335047---195767/Painting.html#.UzI1WMvD_IU