Tour Down Under Stage 5: Full Speed

The now three member strong break away heads back down the back side of Willunga Hill reaching speeds of over 90 kilometers per hour, Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac) was dropped on the way up.  It is Jack Bauer (Quickstep) in the rather dangerous aero tuck who is leading the virtual King of the Mountains, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) and Jeremy Maison (FDJ) down into the McLaren Vale before turning left to head back up Willunga Hill for the final big ascent of the 2017 Tour Down Under.

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2908169-124-194179/PaintingFull%20Speed%20TDU17-26.html#.WIOhs_krLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 5 Slipping Off the Front

On the first ascent of Willunga Hill attacks starting jumping out of the peloton  The first to give it a go was Chris Hamilton (Sunweb) with Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida) trying to catch the youngster from Austalia  Up the road the now three member break was clearing the top of the climb with Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) mobbing up the KOM points (his sole objective of getting into the early break)  This trip was a rehearsal for the show that would be the final ascent to the finish line at the top in twenty kilometers  The winner on that stage has a high likelihood of being the victor of the Tour Down Under and the King of the Mountains

Sorry that my computer is back to thinking punctuation is unimportant

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2908166-123-194179/PaintingSlipping%20Off%20the%20Front%20TDU17-24.html#.WIOcUPkrLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 5: Down by the Shore

This stage always offers quite a bit of variety in scenery for the riders to work too hard to see  The route takes the peloton through the vineyards of Snapper Point out to the coast and then up one of the longest climbs near Adelaide  As the four man break swings down along the coastal road the helicopter was showing shots of a large pod of dolphins playing in the bright blue waters of the Southern Ocean  Jack Bauer (Quickstep) is sporting the red bib numbers of the most competitive rider from his efforts in yesterday's stage.  He was given the honor again today for this effort  He is being lead along the coast by Jeremy Maison (FDJ) - just out of frame - Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) and Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac)  I wonder if a dip in the cool waters crossed any of their minds

Sorry that my computer is back to thinking punctuation is unimportant

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2908161-122-194179/PaintingDown%20by%20the%20Shore%20TDU17-24.html#.WIOZovkrLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 5 Adding One More

The threesome of Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac) and Jack Bauer (Quickstep) decided it was best to wait for the young Frenchman Jeremy Maison (FDJ) who was trying to bridge across to them.  Deciding that four pairs of legs was better than three Bauer dropped back an actually helped pace Maison into the group  As they arrived up to the other two Bauer reached back to welcome Maison into the fold and Maison tapped his thank yous onto Bauer's back (butt)

Sorry that my computer is back to thinking punctuation is unimportant

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2908152-121-194179/PaintingAdding%20One%20More%20TDU17-23.html#.WIOWwfkrLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 5: Getting Established

From the drop of the flag that got the Queen stage of the Tour Down Under underway, it was Will Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac) who went on the attack.  Perhaps he wanted to counter his bad luck from yesterday's stage.  Bridging across to the Australian was Julien Berard (Ag2r La Mondiale).  The duo were hoping to establish the break away that would leave the peloton behind.

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2908146-120-194179/PaintingGetting%20Established%20TDU17-22.html#.WIOTFfkrLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 4: Three Out of Four

Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) came to this Tour to race!  He held off the charging Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Danny Van Poppel (Sky) to claim his third stage - out of four possible ones.  Sagan has finished second twice now and this is Van Poppel's first time on the podium in the 2017 Tour Down Under.  Ewan seems to be embracing the sprinter's red jersey and his team as he celebrates crossing the line in Campbelltown.

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2907651-119-194179/PaintingThree%20Out%20of%20Four%20TDU17-21.html#.WII_6PkrLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 4: The Last One Away

Jack Bauer (Quickstep) knows more than most the possible heart break of a break away effort  He was one of two riders in the 2014 Tour de France who had ridden a 200 kilometer plus break only to be caught 20 meters from the line in the city of Nimes  It left him in tears but not without the heart to try and try again  With just 15 kilometers left to go he dropped his final break companion and raced down Cuddle Creek gorge in hopes of not repeating history  Alas he was not to erase the taste of 2014 but was going to be swallow whole by the sprinters with just 3 kilometers left to race  At least he couldn't see the finish line when he was caught this time

For the record - my computer has decided that I don't really need periods on commas anymore

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2907645-118-194179/PaintingThe%20Last%20One%20Away%20TDU17-20.html#.WII9T_krLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 4: Bad Luck

With two riders still up the road, Will Clarke (Cannondale Drapac) was one of the three riders to jump free of the peloton in hopes of bridging across to the leaders  The other two were Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) and Michael Valgren (Astana)  Just as the trio were opening up a thirty second gap on the peloton Clarke had the misfortune of getting a rear flat tire   The neutral service vehicles gave him a quick change but the time lost was too much to continue to stay off of the front  He could take some solace in knowing that Bak nor Valgren made it up to the leaders so his ill fortune did not take him out of a chance to win the stage into Campbelltown

For the record - my computer has decided that I don't really need periods on commas anymore

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2907642-117-194179/PaintingBad%20Luck%20TDU17-19.html#.WII65vkrLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 4: Is He Gone

Almost to script Cameron Meyer (UniSA-Australia) launched an attack against his other two break away companions  Jack Bauer (Quickstep) was able to counter and eventually pull back up to the wheel of the Australian rider however Ondrej Cink (Bahrain Merida) wasn't able to hold the wheels of his erstwhile companions.  As Bauer caught up with Meyer the pair had a quick chat and decided to press on in hopes that the peloton would be happy to have Cink back and would let them ride for the stage victory.

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2907539-116-194179/PaintingIs%20He%20Gone?%20TDU17-18.html#.WIG7__krLIU

Tour Down Under Stage 4: A 10% Chance

The race commentators, Paul Sherwen, Phil Ligget and Robbie McEwan all gave these three break away riders about a ten percent chance of succeeding in staying off the front of the peloton.  Part of the problem is that Ondrej Cink (Bahrain-Merida) is only 57 seconds off of the race lead, so the BMC led peloton wasn't about to let him or Cameron Meyer (UniSA-Australia) nor Jack Bauer (Quickstep) get too much of a gap.  Perhaps if Cink wasn't with them the percentage chance of success might go up

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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20Down%20Under/2907524-115-194179/PaintingA%2010%20%20Chance%20TDU17-17.html#.WIG5xPkrLIU