Tour, Stage 2: Holding Form

Team Deceuninck-Quick Step looked the most uniform, smooth and fastest as they closed in on the final kilometers of the stage.  At the two previous time checks, they were running just a second or two off of the current stage leaders, Team Ineos.  Their experience as multiple World Champions in this discipline gave hope to their ability to close the gap in the last two kilometers.  They got close, just under a second behind the time of the stage leaders.  Once it was all done and dusted, they took third on the stage.  At this point, they had dropped down to six men, including Elia Viviani, Kasper Asgreen, Yves Lampaert and Enric Mas.  Sorry to the two on the front of the pace line, I didn't quite catch who they were (and I can't see their race numbers).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356850-9-263530/Holding%20Form%20%20TDF19-9.html

Tour, Stage 2: Better Than Expected

As Katusha-Alpecin came through the first time check, they surprised everyone, including themselves, by posting the new best time.  If they were able to maintain the pace it would put most every other team on the back foot.  By the time they reached the line in Brussels they had faded by six seconds to the time of Team Ineos - finishing the day tied for 4th place on the stage.

See this painting come to life in this time lapse video...

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356826-8-263530/Better%20Than%20Expected%20%20TDF19-8.html

Tour, Stage 2: To the Line

It was a surprise to me that Ineos was the first team off the line in Bruxelles this morning.  It however was no surprise that they posted the best time at the finish line (after all, at that point they were the only ones to get there).  However, their time held as best time up until the very last team finished the 27 kilometer Team Time Trial.  Had their time held, the defending champion, Geraint Thomas, would have pulled on the Maillot Jaune on the second day of the Tour.  Not exactly an ideal situation for the team.  Thomas came to the line in Brussels with four of his seven teammates including, Michal Kwiatkowski, Egan Bernal, Jon Castroviego, Gianni Moscon and Dylan Van Baarle.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356809-7-263530/To%20the%20Line%20%20TDF19-7.html

Tour, Stage 1: This Is for Yellow

It was Mike Teunissen (Jumbo Visma) who surprised everyone, even himself, by taking the opening stage of the 2019 Tour de France.  His team's designated sprinter, Dylan Groenewegen, had crashed with just a kilometer and a half to the line, so Teunissen was left to try and take the wind instead.  He Dutchman just bearly got past Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) for the victory, the Maillot Jaune, and the Maillot Verte (although the two are equal on points).  Coming in third is Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal).  While I am sure he would have prefered the stage and Yellow, he did claim the first Maillot Blanc of best young rider.  The final leader's jersey, the Maillot a Pois, did go to Greg Van Avermaet (CCC). 

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356444-6-263530/This%20Is%20for%20Yellow%20%20TDF19-6.html

Tour, Stage 1: Visiting the Doctor

The Tour de France, or any other bike race, is a high risk endeavour.  Today, it was the team leader of Astana, Jakob Fulgsang, who went down hard.  His teammates dropped back to pace him back to the peloton, and back into the race for the eventual final Maillot Jaune in Paris.  As they neared the back of  peloton, he stopped off at the race doctor to get a little cleaning and medical evaluation.  A final decision will be made about his injuries after the stage, but it looks more bloody than it is serious.  Crashing in races is what led me to stop racing many years ago.  Now, I just ride for the pleasure of the pedaling.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356438-5-263530/Visiting%20the%20Doctor%20%20TDF19-5.html

Tour, Stage 1: Making the Most of His Debut

This painting was the runner up for Bridget's Favorite honors.  This is Stephane Rosetto's (Cofidis) first appearance in the Tour of his home country.  With just over twenty kilometers to race back to Brussels, the Frenchman decided to try the long solo run to the line.  He just took second in his national time trial championships, so he certainly has the legs for the effort, but again, the sprinters really want to fight it out for glory, stage and the Maillot Jaune at the end of the day.  Rosetto did earn himself the title of most combative rider for the stage, and will have the honor of wearing a red race number for stage 2 of the Tour.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356435-4-263530/Making%20the%20Most%20of%20His%20Debut%20%20TDF19-4.html

Tour, Stage 1: Starting His Campaign

Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe) is attempting to set a record, taking his seventh Green Jersey in the Tour de France.  Naturally, he went for the first intermediate sprint of the race, taking maximum points towards the tally for the sprinter's jersey.  Sagan looks back over his shoulder to find most of his competition absent, with the possible exception of Greg Van Avermaet (CCC).  Van Avermaet was definitely there, taking third in the sprint in Les Bons Villers, he just isn't a real threat for the Green Jersey by the time they reach Paris.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356434-3-263530/Starting%20His%20Campaign%20%20TDF19-3.html

This painting has sold!

Tour, Stage 1: Pushing On

Now that Greg Van Avermaet had dropped back to the chasing peloton, it was left to these three to push on in vain hope for a stage victory.  Mads Wurtz Schmidt (Katusha-Alpecin), Natnael Berhane (Cofidis) and Xandro Meurisse (Wanty Group) knew that the odds were stacked against them, but there was nothing left but to try.  This stage was seen as one for the sprinters, and with a Yellow Jersey on offer for the stage winner, it was very unlikely that a break away would succeed.  But if one doesn't try, then it definitely won't happen.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356413-2-263530/Pushing%20On%20TDF19-2.html

Tour, Stage 1: Up and Over

Here we go!  I know what I will be doing for the rest of July...  This is the first painting of the first stage of the first climb of the Tour de France.  The maximum points for the climb up the Mur de Grammont was taken by the reigning Olympic gold medalist, Greg Van Avermaet (CCC) followed closely by Xandro Meurisse (Wanty Group).  Meurisse was first over the only other categorized climb of the day, but this climb was enough to award Van Avermaet the first Polka Dot jersey of this Tour.  Immediately after the second climb of the day, the Belgium rider dropped back to the peloton, his objective for the day achieved.

Watch this painting come to life in my You Tube videos here...

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available though my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of this post.  Since it is an original it is first come first served.  The painting was created using Yarka St Petersburg watercolors from Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 plus shipping. And yes, international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour%20de%20France%202019/3356399-1-263530/Up%20and%20Over%20%20TDF19-1.html

"The Look"

I have been working on this piece for a number of weeks now, and today I managed to finish it.  With the goal of getting the artwork done this week, I have not been able to paint the Criterium du Dauphine.  Although you may be able to tell in these photos that I am listening to/watching the race while I work.  Along with these photographs, I am including a video to give you more of an idea on how this piece looks in person.

Note that you can here stage three of the race playing while I am filming this.  

This piece is sold, but you can see other stained glass and painted sculptural pieces on my website at www.greigleach.com.  I do create works on commission as well.  Shipping is available worldwide.  You can email me through the website to get the wheels turning