Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Anyway He Can

I found this piece of video on twitter of another one of the German riders attempting to make the best of a bad situation.  He apparently had a mechanical at the bottom of the cobbled climb of Libbie Hill.  A rider must have his (or her) bicycle with them to advance on the course, so rather than waste time standing on the side of the road awaiting neutral service, he shouldered his machine and ran up the hill.  I guess he figured the service mechanics would get to him eventually.  His progress was monitored by the race marshal clad in red leather and astride a motorcycle.

For the record Felix Gall (Austria) took first followed by Clement Betouigt-Suire (France) and Rasmus Pedersen (Denmark) rounded out the podium.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Careful on the Paint

With the light drizzle falling, the wet roads were a bit slick.  But it is the painted strips that can be treacherous on a skinny high pressure racing tire.  The German eased off his speed as he crested the summit of the Governor's Street hill so he didn't slide out on the cross walk stripes.  Tucked on to his wheel was one of the three riders from Ecuador hoping to escape from those laboring up the climb behind.  Without the ability to see their bib numbers nor hear the more informed commentators I simply don't know who these riders are.  Sorry, I try to name everyone I paint.  I am thrilled to see such talented athletes compete and to be inspired to create art from their herculean efforts.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Undampened, but Rather Wet

Without television coverage of the Junior races it has been quite a challenge to get imagery to work from.  Fortunately, I have some very kind friends in the Richmond cycling community who messaged me their photographs since they were out on the course.  This is the peloton chasing the now five man break back up Broad Street and the old CFB Bank building that stands as the lone high rise blocks away from the financial district the marks a typical downtown city area.  I need to figure out what flag this one is, one of seemingly hundreds of international flags being waved enthusiastically all along the course.

The riders and fans alike faced light rain for most of the day, but thankfully, the expected down pours held of while the young men were on course.  With the cobbles and technical nature of the course, rain would have been disastrous.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Looking Them Over

Almost from the second that the Junior Men's race got underway, three guys went on the early break.  The American, Gregory Daniel, looks over his should at the German rider trying to decide if he and the Italian had the legs to pres the advantage.  The break is riding pass the first place I lived when I first came to school in Richmond, VA on the campus of the Virginia Commonwealth University.  The University wisely canceled classes for the entire week of racing, partly because the race courses all went through the middle of the city streets that comprise the campus.  More likely they felt that the students wouldn't go to class, opting instead to watch the racing (I certainly would have skipped every class.)

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.  The works are being created live at the main Fanfest area near the finish line in full view of fans and cyclists alike (although not those out on course).  The originals and two sizes of prints are available for purchase at Fanfest and later will be on offer at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Holding for Victory

The order of the previous painting was flipped when the trio hit the line.  Kevin Ledonis had countered his teammates move on the final cobbled climb up 23rd Street leaving both Simone Consonni (Italy) and his countryman, Anthony Turgis (France) behind.  Ledonis put everything he had into getting up the final climb up to the finishing false flat straight to the line.  As he faded from the effort with the finish line in site the entire crowd in the Fanfest held their collective breaths as the Italian chased from behind.  Stuck to Consonni's wheel was Turgis ready to bounce (if he could) should the Italian get to his fading compatriot.  In the end it was Ledonis who attempted to raise his arms in victory, but he struggled with his bike just as he had struggled to hold off the charging Italian.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: The Winning Move

As the leading trio reached the summit up Libbie Hill for the final time, Anthony Turgis (France) made a powerful acceleration to jump through the inside corner grabbing the lead from Simone Consonni (Italy).  The Frenchman's teammate, Kevin Ledanois, watched his countryman go keeping a sharp eye on the Italian on his wheel.  As it turned out, the winning move didn't deliver the win and the Rainbow Jersey to Turgis...

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: The Brits Hit the Front

While the cast of the breakaway may keep changing the break itself was stubbornly refusing to be caught.  Just like it happens in a big Pro Tour race, it was up to the teams with a sprinter to come to the front and chase down the break.  Even though the British team didn't have Mark Cavendish to work for, they still hit the front in hopes of reeling in the escapees.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Up Governor's Hill

The U23 Men's Road Race always had a breakaway up the road, but the cast seemed to continual alter.  The big German, Maximillian Schachmann, used his time trialing skills to bridge across to the remaining duo on the front of the Kazakh, Oleg Zemlyakov and the original breakaway member, Jose Luis Rodriquez of Chile.  Schachmann brought some much needed power to the effort just as the trio hit the flatest section of the course.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Short and Not Sweet

If the cobbles up to the summit of Libbie Hill were not enough for the U23 Men, they got to drop down off of Church Hill only to climb back up 23rd Street.  This climb was just recently resurfaced with new cobbles that replace an asphalt strip that went up the center of the roadway.  The ascent was less that 500 meters but at 18% it was enough to sap the legs of most any rider.  The four to hit it ahead of the peloton were led up the rise by the Italian Davide Martinelli.  He was watched closely by Jose Luis Rodriguez (Chile), Oleg Zemlyakov (Kazakhstan) and the struggling Irishman, Eddie Dunbar.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: The Rising Peloton

The peloton swung off of the main road and started up the cobbled climb of Libbie Hill.  As they made the turn, they passed under the arch announcing where they were.  It seems ironic to me that the climb appeared to be sponsored by Virginia Tourism.  Their slogan is "Virginia Is for Lovers."   I am quite sure that most of the peloton wasn't feeling any love for the roadway beneath there wheels, nor how many times they were going to have to pass under the "lover's sign"

I was tickled that the original of this painting was bought before I had even finished the line work part of the process.  But then it is a pretty strong image that tells the story of the days racing.

This is an original small watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  These paintings are created live while watching the races through a feed provided by the Richmond 2015 Worlds organization.  For two more days, you will be able to watch me create the works live at the Fanfest area at 5th and Marshall Streets near the finish line.  You can also purchase either the originals or one of two different sizes of prints while you are there, or later at www.richmond.com.