Fleche Wallone: Nearly Four Minutes

As per usual, the race was marked by the early break away, a group that swelled to six riders and a lead of over four minutes.  Those in the group (and this painting) included; Yoann Bagot (Cofidis), Romain Guillemois (Direct Energie), Nils Politt (Katusha-Alpecin), Daniel Pearson (Aqua Blue), Faien Doubey (Wanty Groupe-Gobert), and Olivier Pardini (WB Veranclassic Aquality Protect).  The group was being provided their time gap back to the peloton from the old school chalkborad being held aloft by one of the support motorcycles.

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.

With the start of the Giro d'Italia, I will be crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  Please feel free to become a follower of this blog to be informed of the project and your chance to participate in helping to make it happen.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/2952526-397-195767/PaintingNearly-Four-Minutes-FW17-1.html

Paris Roubaix: A Great Spring!

This painting expresses the joy and frustration that is bike racing.

As feared, the trio of Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Zdenek Stybar (Quickstep) and Sebastian Langeveld (Cannondale-Drapac) were got on the final turned by both Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) and Giani Moscon (Sky).  In fact, it was Moscon that opened up the sprint to the line.  He was quickly swamped by Stybar.  However it was the on-fire Greg Van Avermaet who had the legs to take out the sprint and claim victory in Roubaix.  Stybar was clearly frustrated with his second place finish as he slapped his handlebars on the line.  Langeveld held on for third, with Stuyven and Moscon rounding out the top five.

It wasn't fated to be the fairy tale end of Tom Boonen's career.  In fact he wasn't able to sprint to victory within his finishing group either.  But he has provided us all with excitement, class and guts through his spectacular career.  Chapeau!

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.

With the start of the Giro d'Italia, I will be crowd funding my third cycling art book through Kickstarter.  Please feel free to become a follower of this blog to be informed of the project and your chance to participate in helping to make it happen.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/2947379-396-195767/PaintingA-Great-Spring!-PR17-10.html

Paris Roubaix: Looking It Over

After 250 kilometers of some of the roughest roads in northern Europe, the final kilometer is raced on the very smooth outdoor velodrome of Roubaix.  The high banks afford the racers a chance to look each other over and to possibly get a jump descending off of the high side of the curve.  The trio of Zdenek Stybar (Quickstep), Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Sebastian Langeveld (Cannondale-Drapac) had enough of a lead that they could slow down and try to out strategize each other.  However, if they get too carried away, the chasing duo of Giani Moscon (Sky) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) might catch them and carrying speed steal the race at the last moment.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947371-395-195767/PaintingLooking-It-Over-PR17-9.html

Paris Roubaix: Which One of Us?

"Which one of us is going to win this thing?" seemed to be the question on the mind of Sebastian Langeveld (Cannondale-Drapac) as he looked over at Zdenek Stybar (Quickstep).  The third member of this escape trio was the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC). They were racing through the section of heroes, the final serious section of pave that is lined with photos of the heroes of cycling over the ages at Paris Roubaix.  The organizers had placed the yellow barricades to keep everyone on the rough cobbles and off of the smooth shoulders.  Early the barricades also held the posters of the victors of the Hell of the North.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947366-394-195767/PaintingWhich-One-of-Us?-PR17-8.html

Paris Roubiax: Making Them Chase

With his long hair flowing, Daniel Oss (BMC) went off on his own with 36 kilometers left to race.  Oss's move was a great piece of strategy for his team.  Either those behind wouldn't be able to catch the Italian, or in their efforts they would give Oss's teammate, Greg Van Avermaet, a good long rest as the others chased him down.  So this move is clearly a win/win for the Swiss/American team.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947357-393-195767/PaintingMaking-Them-Chase-PR17-7.html

Paris Roubaix: Poursuivants

This trio of Dimitri Claeys (Cofidis), Gianni Moscon (Sky) and Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal), recognized that they had missed the possible move of the day and took it upon themselves to go chase it down.  Behind them is a flotilla of motos including the neutral service moto sponsored by Mavic, and the TV cameraman.  As always, fans were lining nearly every inch of this eleventh section of pave.  All along this section were small signs thanking Tom Boonen for his years of cycling entertainment.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947356-392-195767/PaintingPoursuivants-PR17-6.html

Paris Roubaix: Like a Man Possessed

I was disappointed to learn that this will be the last professional race for one of my favorite riders, Tom Boonen (Quickstep).  Boonen has won this the "Hell of the North" four times and was clearly hoping to claim a fifth win for his final race.  It was Paul Sherwen who gave me the idea for this title, as he described Boonen as a man riding like a man possessed.  It seemed to fit even better with the church tower in the background.  On Boonen's wheel is Bert De Backer (Sunweb) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) plus the rest of the peloton.  Although by this point, just thirteen sections of pave to go, the peloton was only about forty of the nearly two hundred men who started on the outskirts of Paris.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947346-391-195767/PaintingLike-a-Man-Possessed-PR17-5.html

Paris Roubaix: Looking to Bridge Across

As he entered the section 14 of pave, Arnaud Demare (FDJ) decided to try and bridge across to the small group that included Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe) and others.  Each section of cobblestones are number in descending order and color coded by difficulty.  The yellow banner at the start of this section lets the riders now that this is a three star section - a medium difficulty section.  Demare never did make it to the front group, and soon found himself back in the main peloton.  But at the risk of a spoiler alert, he did manage to finish in the top ten and as the highest place French rider.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947338-390-195767/PaintingLooking-to-Bridge-Across-PR17-4.html

Paris Roubaix: Applying Some Pressure

Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe), never one to just sit around and let others dictate the race, went to the front and applied some pressure.  He brought his teammate, Maciej Bodnar, along with Daniel Oss (BMC) and Jasper Stuyvens (Trek-Segafredo).  You can see the escort moto looking back to see what happened to the rest of the peloton.  On the other hand, the women on the side of the road seemed more interested in taking selfies than seeing the giants of cycling ride by.  Perhaps their boyfriends were the ones who were excited to see 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.  It is only $75 USD and international shipping is available.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/2947332-389-195767/PaintingApplying-Some-Pressure-PR17-3.html

Paris Roubaix: Peloton & Pave

As the peloton entered the twentieth section of pave, it was Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe) bedecked in his World Champion rainbow jersey that lead the way.  Sagan has learned that being on the front of the group on the pave, makes for a saver ride (and considerably less dusty to boot).  Other riders riding under the banner included, BMC, Katusha, Quickstep and FDJ.  At this point it was mainly the domestiques setting the pace for their team leaders to do the work later in the race.  It feels like absolutely every step of the way has been lined by enthusiastic cycling fans from all over Europe out on a sunny day to see their favorite riders.

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/Spring-Classics-/2947308-388-195767/PaintingPeloton-&-Pave-PR17-2.html