Criterium du Dauphine '25, Stage 6: Back into Yellow

After an amazing, and very effective, attack on the final climb of the day Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) raises two fingers in a victory salute atop Combloux.  I assume the gesture is a reference to his taking his second stage in this year's Criterium du Dauphine.  Just as when he won the first stage, he will be on the stage receiving his second Maillot Jaune in this race. With the time bonus he now has a forty-three second buffer over his main rival Jonas Vingegaard.  I wish I could have gotten a good angle of the image, but as Vingegaard came across the line in second place a minute after the Rainbow Jersey the two hugged and you could see the Dane tell him, "Well played."  

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Back into Yellow CdD25-35" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour '24, Stage 13: Checking Before Celebrating

Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wisely looked to his left to make sure he had gotten to the line ahead of Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) before raising his arms in celebration.  He infamously celebrated a stage win two years ago without knowing that someone had already won the stage in a lone breakaway.  Needless to say, he has been teased about that for years now.  He is also aware that many have started their celebrations prior to actually crossing the line and gotten beaten by a well-timed bike throw.  Speaking of bike throws, Van Aert's was a bit pointless since he was outsprinted by over a half a bike length.  Many of the other marquee sprinters were caught up in the mayhem that was caused by the crash, but that does not negate the quality of Philipsen's second stage victory in this Tour.  Biniam Girmay (Intermache-Wanty) finished fourth today and conceded thirty-two points to Philipsen in the race for the Maillot Vert.  He still holds the jersey by twice that amount, but it is getting to look a little less like a sure thing.

There is only one more flat stage left for the sprinters to ply their trade, but it is on the other side of two days in the high mountains of the Pyrenees.  How many will stay in the Tour with no sprint on the Champs Elysees to hang tough for.  I have been betting that this is the last day in this Tour for Cavendish.  But without getting to try to break his own record today, he may struggle to the final sprint stage after the final rest day next Monday.

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 $95 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"Checking Before Celebrating TdF24-76" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Tour Down Under, Stage 3: Time to Celebrate

Long time followers of my cycling art will know that I love to go for puns and multiple interpretations in the titles of my paintings.  This is just such an example.  It can be read as having won the stage, Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe) had enough time to celebrate his second stage victory in this edition of the Tour Down Under, or now that he has crossed the line ahead of Elia Viviani (Ineos-Grenadiers) it is time to celebrate another stage victory.  Unlike his win on the first day of the Tour, he won’t be pulling on the Ochre Jersey of race leader this time. However, he will be pulling on the Blue Jersey of the best sprinter in the race (sometimes referred to as the points jersey).

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-Down-Under/3995929-190-194179/Painting/time-to-celebrate.-tdu24-13.html

 

Tour, Stage 15: Easy as Pie

This evening while photographing these watercolors I started laughing out loud.  It struck me that I had named this piece "Easy as Pie" and then thought that this is Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott).  Now what amused me was the thought of the nursey rhyme, "Simple Simon was a Pie Man."  Well, I thought it was funny.  Yates had the time to get his kit just so for the photographers as he claimed his second mountain top finish in this year's Tour.  Yates is the only other rider besides the Maillot Jaune to have one a second stage.  I believe that leaves us at thirteen different stage winners in fifteen stages, and still no clear indication on who will wear the final Yellow Jersey in Paris in a week's time.

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.

Be sure to check out my daily videos on You Tube.  If you enjoy what you see on the channel, please subscribe.  I need to get over a hundred subscribers so I can name the channel, "Art of Cycling"

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3363392-87-263530/Easy%20as%20Pie%20%20TDF19-87.html

Tour, Stage 5: The Second Time

It was Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe) that crossed the top of the climb first in Quimper!  That makes it two stage wins, and two second places thus far for the Slovakian sprinter who is so much more than merely a sprinter.  He was just able to hold off the only other sprinter, Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida), who was left at the front end of the race.  The pair also caught the wheel of the first to attack the climb, Philippe Gilbert (Quickstep).  You can just make out the blue kit of his teammate, Julian Alaphilippe behind the Maillot Vert of Peter Sagan.  Sagan's win puts him 33 points ahead of second place in the green jersey competition.  Given the finale for Stage 6, he nor any of the other sprinters will be contesting for stage honors on the Mur de Bretagne.

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-2018/3186324-25-251072/PaintingThe-Second-Time--T18-25.html

Tour Down Under: In the Beginning & the End

Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEdge) had a spectacular Tour Down Under, claiming the first and final stages of this years race,  Orica-GreenEdge did even better with Simon Gerrans winning two stages as well, bringing their total to four out of six possible stages.  Simon Gerrans also won the overall race and the points jersey so it really was quite a fabled race for the Australian team.  Plus this year, every stage was won by an Australian, so it really was a home team Tour.

This is the final painting of the first race of the ProTour season.  I will switch to the classics and monuments over the next three months and then it will be back to some of the major and more minor stage races for the rest of the season.  It is highly likely that I will be back painting the UCI Road World Championships live in Doha, Qatar.  It is equally likely that I will be at the US Pro Challenge in Colorado and maybe even the US Road Championships in May.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting created using watercolors from www.richesonart.com and 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.  In addition, be sure to check out my new book, "Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships" available now at www.artofcycling.bike.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2683103-98-194179/Painting.html#.VqVBAfkrLIU

Giro Stage 18: A Puncheur's Punch

Philippe Gilbert (BMC) timed his attack to perfection.  His teammate, Amael Moinard, had attacked the remaining trio from the original breakaway.  As the threesome had used a burst of energy to catch the fleeing Frenchman, Gilbert jumped from the back of the group and went off on his own.  With about 15 kilometers left to the finish in Verbania it was a long way to go, but the former World Road Racing Champion still had the legs to make it stick.  He had the added advantage of having a teammate behind to chase down any effort to bridge across to his wheel.  After 14 stages producing 14 different stage winners, Gilbert's win makes the third man to claim a second stage in the 98th Giro d'Italia.

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,  They are a lovely family run art supply business with some really fine products.  This painting is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To buy this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d%20Italia/2560838---184157/Painting.html#.VWfcHc_BzGc

Paris-Nice Stage 6: Making It a Double

Naturally, if you and your team have been aggressive throughout the stage you really want to finish it off with a victory.  Even more so if the victory is the second one in a row and it wins you the Malliot Jaune.  So while AG2R rider, Alexis Villermoz crash within site of the finishing line, it was his teammate, Carlos Betancur, that got the better of the Rainbow Jersey of Rui Costa (Lampre), Geraint Thomas (Sky) Arthur Vichot (FDJ) and Zdenek Stybar (OPQS).  Between the bonus seconds for winning the stage and Stybar nipping Thomas at the line to gain the final bonus seconds available for the stage, Betancur gain enough time to take over the Yellow Jersey of race leader.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through 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%202014/2328181---195767/Painting.html#.UyPHqcvD_IU

Tour Stage Nineteen: Make That Two

Rui Costa showed that he knows when to attack on a final climb.  He has now taken his second stage win in the 100th Tour de France in the exact same manner.  Today and on the road into Gap on the first Alpine stage, he attacked the fellow break away riders about half way up the climb and then stormed down the other side into town all alone.  They must be dancing in the streets in Portugal, but then I think that is a regular pastime in Lisbon.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183683---186227/Painting.html#.UfCM88vD_IU