Tour of Britain, Stage 2: Enjoying the Scenery

Today's stage took the riders through some beautiful roads in the Lake District of northern England.  While I was certainly enjoying the scenery, I am not sure that most of the peloton had time to take in the views.  However, Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Wiggins) spent most of the day hanging out at the back of the line, so he may well have been enjoying the scenery of his supposed last road race of his career.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848028-36-189075/PaintingEnjoying%20the%20Scenery%20ToB10-Greig-Leach.html#.V84Hv5grLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 2: Sprinting Through Town

It was a treat to see the tall Conor Duune (JLT Condor), I last painted the tall Irishman when he raced in the UCI Road World Championships in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia.  Ironically, I have been working on some large scale works that he features in as well, mainly due to his break away in Richmond (just like his efforts today).  Dunne had his work cut out for him trying to be the Yellow Jersey of Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) to the intermediate sprint point in Cockermouth.  It shouldn't need to be said, but, Greipel took the sprint (and all three sprints out on the course).  Trying to keep touch with the two fast men where Ramon Singkeldam (Giant Alpecin) and Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac).

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848025-35-189075/PaintingSprinting%20Through%20Town%20ToB9-Greig-Leach.html#.V84FqJgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 2: Losing the Arm Warmers

One of the many challenges for the riders is getting their clothing right on the day.  Even us amateurs have to balance being warm at the start of the day and not boiling by the end.  I sure wish I had a team car driving along with me to pass my extra clothes to.  Today's break was fifteen members strong, surprisingly one of the group was the race leader, Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal).  Greipel seemed to be targeting the intermediate sprints.  It was doubtful that he would be able to keep hold of the Yellow Jersey given the three categorized climbs facing the peloton in the latter kilometers of the stage.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2848023-34-189075/PaintingLosing%20the%20Arm%20Warmers%20ToB8-Greig-Leach.html#.V84CQpgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: Untangling Cav

So the answer to the previous post, "Where is Cav?" has been answered.  Mark Cavendish (Dimensiona Data) was under a pile of bikes and people.  The last kilometer included a sharp left turn and not everyone made it around safely.  Others held up by the wreck included the Dutch National Champion, Dylan Groenwegen (LottoNL Jumbo) and his teammate Robert Wagner.  Another was the Sky rider Danny Van Poppel who looked on as Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar) reached down and twisted Cavendish's ankle.  As a cyclist, I know that he was helping out the Manx Missile get unclipped from his pedals so he could get up.  While all involved could not contest for the stage victory, at least they would be given the same time as the bunch.  All they have to do is get themselves and their bike across the line.  As far as I know everyone was able to finish, whether they will be able to start tomorrow remains to be seen.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846917-33-189075/PaintingUntangling%20Cav%20ToB7-Greig-Leach.html#.V8z5SJgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: Releasing Himself

Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) has had a lot of experience in waiting for the right moment to launch his sprint.  His team had worked hard to place him on the front of the peloton.  It was his teammate, Jens Debusschere, who was the last wheel that the German National Champion followed.  The Gorilla jumped from his lead out man's wheel with just a couple of hundred meters left to the line.  Behind him the diminutive Caleb Ewan (Orica BikeExchange) tried to get around Greipel, but he just didn't have the legs.  His second place was enough to put him third overall, not second due to Jasper Bovenhuis (An Post Chain Reaction) picking up six bonus seconds out on course.  But it is Greipel who will pull on the first leader's jersey of the Tour of Britain.  The question is, where was Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data)?

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846914-32-189075/PaintingReleasing%20HImself%20ToB6-Greig-Leach.html#.V8z0vZgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: There They Are

With just four of the original five left off the front, it was no surprise that the peloton was staring back at Tom Moses (JLT Condor) when he looked back.  With just ten kilometers left to Castle Douglas and the end of the stage, the sprinters teams were all about pulling the break away back into the fold.  Jasper Bovenhuis (An Post Chain Reaction) had taken all of the sprints out on course, but with the pedigree of those behind, it was doubtful he would take the final sprint to the line.  On the other hand, Peter Williams (ONE Pro Cycling) had the King of the Mountains Jersey for his efforts on the opening stage of the race.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846906-31-189075/PaintingThere%20They%20Are%20ToB5-Greig-Leach.html#.V8zxGZgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: A Counter Effort

In a ploy to get maximum points over the final climb of the day, Tom Moses (JLT Condor), jumped early from the group.  The only rider to go with Brit was his countryman, Peter Williams (ONE Pro Cycling).  While Moses kept trying to drop Williams, it was Williams who claimed maximum points and the first King of the Mountains Jersey in the Tour of Britain.  Even if Moses had claimed the climb, it would still have been Williams who would start tomorrow in the KOM Jersey.  I had to do this painting since the Scottish flag was so proudly displayed along the side of the road by the gaggle of fans before the summit.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846892-30-189075/PaintingA%20Counter%20Effort%20ToB4-Greig-Leach.html#.V8zoKpgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: What Was That?

Peter Williams (ONE Pro Cycling) was a little less than pleased with Emeil Wastyn (An Post Chain Reaction).  Williams felt that Wastyn had strayed off of his line on the sprint to the top of the second climb of the day.  Since Williams was still able to get across the climb first, so he probably won't fill a complaint, but he would have grounds.  While the two were exchanging words and gestures, Johnny McEvoy (NFTO) was able to grab second on the climb, almost getting around the annoyed Williams.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846883-29-189075/PaintingWhat%20Was%20That?%20ToB3-Greig-Leach.html#.V8zlPpgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: Showing the Way

For those of you who have read my posts in the past, you will know that one of the ways I like to title my works is to leave you the viewer with more than one understanding of what is happening in the image.  One who is showing the way is the policeman with the orange jacket and bright yellow flag.  He is making sure that the break away stays on course, making this left hand bend towards the first categorized climb of this year's Tour of Britain.  Of course Tom Moses (JLT Condor) is leading the break, who in turn is leading the race, around the course on the day.  So he, too, is showing the way.  Following Moses' lead is Emiel Wastyn (An Post Chain Reaction) and his teammate Jasper Bovenhuis.  Bringing up the rear of the break is Peter Willians (ONE Pro Cycling).  The group which actually includes a fifth rider, Johnny McVoy (NFTO), built up to five minutes on the peloton, before the gap started to drop.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846880-28-189075/PaintingShowing%20the%20Way%20ToB2-Greig-Leach.html#.V8zihJgrLIU

Tour of Britain, Stage 1: On a Scottish Lane

It was the Irish National Champion, Nicolas Roche (Sky) who had the job of leading the peloton's chase of the early break away.  A five man group got off the front from the first kilometer out of Glasgow, Scotland, so it fell to the workers of the Pro Tour teams to peg the escapes for their sprinters.  Riding on the wheel of Roche is Paul Martens (LottoNL Jumbo) and then riders from Dimension Data and Lotto Soudal.  I had hoped to catch sight of the peloton on the streets of Glasgow, the city of my father-in-law's youth.  But instead, the first of my paintings of the Tour of Britain is from the country lanes of Scotland on the way to Castle Douglas.

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/Tour%20of%20Britain/2846876-27-189075/PaintingOn%20a%20Scottish%20Lane%20ToB1-Greig-Leach.html#.V8zfGJgrLIU