Tour of Britain Stage 4: One at Home

Mark Cavendish managed to stay with the peloton on the final climb just 16 kilometers from the end of the stage and that put him in a position to win his first stage at this year's Tour of Britain and his ninth ToB win in his career.  He had the added pleasure of taking a stage in the Tour wearing the Champion jersey of Great Britain, always a nice touch to win in the home colors.  He had just enough to hold off the charging Elia Viviani, winner of the first stage of the race who is carry the flag for Team Cannondale while Peter Sagan is racing in Canada.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.  While you are there why not look at all of my paintings from the Giro d'Italia, Criterium du Dauphine, Tour de France, and the US Pro Challenge?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2212691---189075/Painting.html#.Ujs-e8_D_IU

Tour of Britain Stage 4: Looking at the Climb to Come

The eleven man break had plenty of time to look at the climb they had yet to make even with 160 kilometers already in their legs.  Fortunately Mount Snowdonia, the highest point in the United Kingdom, wasn't on the parcours for the day, but only a long drag of 6% over the pass nearby.  The riders finally got a bit of sun as they road through the treeless hill of Wales.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available through my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2212683---189075/Painting.html#.Ujs6Oc_D_IU

Tour of Britain Stage 4: Little Help

The leader in the King of the Mountains Jersey managed to make it into the eleven man breakaway in today's stage, and the group was able to stay away until the final climb of the day, almost making it to the line ahead of the peloton.  Angel Madrazo of Team Moviestar is calling for his team car on one of the many rolling uncategorized climbs leading up to the final ascent of the day.  After getting over the first to climbs of the stage first, he was starting to drag a little bit as the kilometers piled up.   This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by going to my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get you piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2212677---189075/Painting.html#.Ujs3Vs_D_IU

Tour of Britain Stage 4: Sky Knows What to Do

After yesterday's blistering time trial by Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky is in the all too familiar position at the front of the peloton setting the tempo and chasing down break aways.  Most of the team spent the lion's share of the Tour de France out front in the wind, and now have come home to lead the 2012 Tour de France winner around his native tour.  Tuck in behind Team Sky are the teams of two of the sprinters, but since each have one of their own in the break up the road, they are waiting to see if Sky can bring them back.  A team will not chase down their own man if they don't have to.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using cake watercolors, brushes and paper from the fabulous art supply company, www.richesonart.com  In addition, this work is available for purchase through my artist website,  just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2212669---189075/Painting.html#.Ujs06M_D_IU

Tour of Britain Stage 3: Flying Around

Gerald Ciolek who started the day in the Golden Jersey of race leader also had the advantage of being the last rider out on the course in today's individual time trial.  The advantage being that he knew all of the times of every rider in the race therefor knowing what time he had to finish by to keep the leader's jersey.  Knowing what time you need to make and being able to do it are two entirely different things as Ciolek was unable to rival the time of the Olympic time trial Champion, Bradley Wiggins.  So not only did Wiggo win the stage, but his time was enough to put him into the golden leader's jersey, which is the rightful place for Sir Bradley Wiggins to be in his home tour.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2212665-6-0-189075/Painting/Sports.html#.UjsypM_D_IU

Tour of Britain Stage Three: Slippery When Wet

The UK is so into cycling now that they even have a Team GB and this is Simon Yates flying the colors of the home team as he negotiates the slippery corners of the wet roads of Scotland.  Yates had a great ride but like the rest of the peloton came in a full minute behind Sir Bradley Wiggins in today's Individual Time Trial.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to purchase your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain and while you are there, check out my paintings of the 2013 cycling season.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2211421---189075/Painting.html#.UjiNSMvD_IU

Tour of Britain Stage Three: Making the Catch

Stage three of the Tour of Britain featured the race of truth, the individual time trial.  The race earns its name because it is an individual test against the clock with out the help of teammates, drafting, or competing strategies.  One of the strongest men in this discipline and a knighted native son is Bradley Wiggins who took the opportunity to reclaim the glory and form of 2012 along with claiming the stage and ultimately the Yellow Jersey of race leader of the Tour of Britain.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2211411---189075/Painting.html#.UjiLKcvD_IU

Tour of Britain Stage Two: Caught at the Line

Lovkist, riding for IAM Cycling, found the nasty final drag up to the line in the final kilometer of stage two just too much after his solo break with 15 kilometers to go.  With his legs giving out at about 500 meters he looked over his shoulder to see the Brit, Sam Bennet (AN Post - ChainReaction) storming up on his left, just behind is Gerald Ciolek trying to catch the pair.  Bennet and Ciolek left the fading Lovkist to fight it out for the stage, with Ciolek getting the better of the duo.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that can be yours by visiting my artist website.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post where you can purchase this painting directly form the artist (me).  Why you are at the website, why not take a look around at all of the works from this season's racing.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2211403---189075/Painting.html#.UjiH18vD_IU

Tour of Britain Stage Two: I Know They're Back There

Day two of the Tour of Britain did not see any better weather, but it is the Scottish Highlands what else could one expect.  Dan Martin and Nairo Quintana along with another Moviestar team mate, jumped away from the rest of the peloton on the final categorized climb of the day in hopes of repeating their exploits of the Tour de France.  I imagine that the Irishman had an advantage when it came to the cold wet conditions of the stage, but all three riders had the disadvantage of having the climb come to far out from the end of the stage.  Martin seems to be able to intuit that the peloton is not far away and is just trying to get a visual confirmation of what he feels to be true.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that you can own by going to my artist website where you can purchase this piece.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.  While you are there check out works from four other major races from the 2013 racing season.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2211397-2-0-189075/Painting/Sports.html#.UjiE9cvD_IU

Tour of Britain Stage One: Punching the Air

Here we go with the Tour of Britain and as you would expect it was a wet stage to kick off the Tour in the Scottish highlands.  But it was a rider from the sunny clime of Italy, Elia Viviani, that took the opening sprint in the cold and wet.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard created using cake watercolors, brushes and paints from www.richesonart.com and are available for purchase.  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of the 2013 Tour of Britain.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Tour%20of%20Britain/2211387-1-0-189075/Painting/Sports.html#.UjiCJMvD_IU