Rio Olympics: Ready to Go

Unlike all of the other swimming events, the backstroke starts with the swimmer in the water.  Here, Ryan Murphy is set to swim his qualifying heat in the 100 meter backstroke.  I wonder how you keep your focus when someone sticks a video camera in your face moments before your race begins?

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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Summer%20Olympics/2834264-21-226051/PaintingReady%20to%20Go%20Rio%2021-Greig-Leach.html#.V6e2ZLgrLIU

Tirreno-Adriatico Final Stage: The Last to Go

Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) managed to claim the overall lead by just beating out Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) at the line in Stage 6.  His victory gave him bonus seconds leaving him 8 seconds ahead of Sagan and 7 seconds ahead of the previous race leader, Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-Quickstep).  The short 10 kilometer course made it possible for the Slovakian sprinter, Sagan, to have a legitimate chance of beating the Belgium rider for BMC.  Van Avermaet would have the advantage of knowing the time splits of Sagan who had left this start gate four minutes earlier.  In the end, Sagan's ride was almost enough but Van Avermaet ceded only 7 seconds to the reigning Road World Champion, Sagan.  So as he crossed the line, Van Avermaet knew he had won Tirreno-Adriatico.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watecolors and Steve Quiller brushes both from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, this painting is available from my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  To purchase this original work of art, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

Plus, please be sure to check out my newest book, Art of Cycling: Richmond 2015 UCI Road World Championships.  The book is complied from my live paintings of the 2015 Championships here in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia along with my blogposts serving as the rough draft for the text of the book.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring%20Classics%20/2743992-288-195767/Painting.html#.VukMQPkrLIU

2014 UCI Worlds: Starting at Home

With the Elite men's and women's team time trials over and done, it was the time for the individual time trialist to take the stage in Ponferrada, Spain.  The morning roads were given over to the Junior Women's Time Trial for those under the age of 23.  One of the early riders to start down the ramp for just over twenty minutes of all out effort was one for the home team, Maria Calderon of Spain.  Without a general classification to set the order of starters, the UCI started those they expect to post slower times first ending with the rider highest place in 2013 still eligible to race in the category.  This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from Jack Richeson & Company, www.richesonart.com.  In addition the painting 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.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/2014%20World%20Championsips/2440514-1-0-202544/Painting/Sports.html#.VCDhFs_D_IU

Tour Stage Seventeen: In the Start Gate

A time trial is all about speed, saving seconds where ever possible.  It is the organizers practice to hold the racer's bike upright as they await the count down to the start of the timing clock.  Being held upright allows the rider to clip into his pedals prior to the start of the clock, thus making the first and every other pedal stroke be about moving the bike forward.  This is the young American, Andrew Talansky, the best place American cyclist in the Tour.  He just edged out his countryman, TeJay but was quickly surpassed by the charging Spaniards and Columbian.  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 art of the 100th Tour de France.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20de%20France%202013/2183167---186227/Painting.html#.Ue9Kpc_D_IU

Tour Stage Eleven: Counting Down

Each rider starts at regular intervals counted down by a race offical while being held upright so that they can already be clipped in to their pedals.  The Tour will erect the start gate at the start of each individual time trial start town, this gate looks identical to the one used last year, just a new set of labels.  They are counting down the start for the former wearer of the Malliot Jaune and current Time Trial Champion of South Africa, Daryl Impey.  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%202013/2182359---186227/Painting.html#.Ue2Xls_D_IU