Paris-Nice Stage 6: Schleck Slides Up the Road

Yet another break caught and another group charges off up the road.  Trek Factory Racing has the honor having both of the Schleck brothers in their team.  Here Frank shows that he has some strong early season form and is joined by the two attacking teams of IAM Cycling and AG2R.  This time it was Stefan Denilf and Alexis Villermoz respectfully, with the AG2R rider making his second attempt of the stage.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase from my artist website, www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 6: Looking Around

Today was a day for attacking, after each break was caught another would go.  Team Sky, holding the Yellow Jersey, was not its normal dominate self, basically conceding the jersey in the press before the day of racing even began.  AG2R and IAM Cycling prove to be the most combative teams in today's racing. While I didn't catch the name of the IAM rider, he went on this move with Jose Rodolfo Serpa of Lampre Merida and Alexis Villermoz of AG2R.  As the peloton tries to get on terms behind them, they are looking at each other trying to see who has the legs to lead the attack.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available at my artist website, www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 6: Down to Four

With a Cat 2 mountain near the finish and a final circuit that contain a very steep climb up to the finishing line it had all the makings of an epic day of racing.  Today's stage broke the pattern by forming a twelve man break (when the pattern necessitated a six man break).  First Sylvan Chavanel, resplendent in his Polka Dots (due to is efforts in stage 5) and then Tommy Voeckler (Europcar), Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale) and Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Belisol) dropped the rest and headed off for the big climb of the day on their own.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard created using Yarka St. Petersburg cake watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  This painting and all of my cycling art is available for purchase through my artist my website, www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 5: Making Sure

While the mantra in racing is that the break away never succeeds, sometimes the peloton gets it wrong.  And with that hope however slim, is what keeps the attacks coming.  So the four of the first five man break were caught, then the final rider was pulled back.  Shortly after, IAM Cycling tried again, with Nibali making a stab at the Team Sky lead peloton.  The final break was comprised of Nibali's Astana teammate, Jakob Fuglsang, Bob Jungels (Trek Factory Racing) and the rider who started the stage in fourth place, Carlos Betacur (AG2R).  While all three stayed away with the peloton hot on their wheels within site of the finishing line, it was Betacur who took one last look over his shoulder before throwing his arms in the air in a victory salute that help salve the rough day his team had on the road.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2327643---195767/Painting.html#.UyKcQ8vD_IU

Paris-Nice Stage 5: Nibali Shows Himself

Shortly after Sylvain Chavanel was caught by the Team Sky lead peloton, his teammate, Stefan Denifl jumped away to try to grab the glory for the team.  However he was surprised by an attack from the group by last year's winner of the Giro d'Italia, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).  Today as the hills got steeper, it was the first time Nibali showed himself to the TV cameras.  When someone of his caliber attacks it causes a violent reaction form the peloton.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 5: I Know They Are Back There

Sylvain Chavanel went with the first break of the day, but when they felt the closing peloton and sat up, he doubled down pressing on in his quest for a stage win.  As a former French National Champion racing on French soil, he hoped to claim a victory after his disappointing ill timed puncture in Stage 4.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 5: Looking Over

Team Bretagne place another rider in another break away.  And following suit with the break away formula of Paris-Nice this year, stage 5 featured a 5 man break.  So the break was represented by Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) who was so disappointed to have an very poorly timed puncture at the base of yesterday's final climb.  He went out today to redeem himself and to prove a point with his legs.  In addition the break was comprised of Jan Bakelants (OPQS), Matthew Busche (Trek Factory Racing), Izaguirre Insausti (Moviestar), and Brice Feillu (Bretagne).  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com, a family owned art supply company in Wisconsin, USA.  This painting can be yours by visiting my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 4: With Time to Celebrate

The ultimate pay off for putting in a hard attack on a late climb is a stage victory.  The possible exception to that is what Geraint Thomas accomplished, gaining enough time to take over the overall lead and the honor of starting the next stage of Malliot Jaune.  Even with the peloton seeking into the picture frame, Tom-Jeffe Slagter (Garmin Sharp) had enough time to throw is arms in the air and celebrate a hard won stage victory.  He finished his salute by pointing to his new teams name across is chest.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase by visiting my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get this painting for yourself.

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Paris-Nice Stage 4: Fast & Narrow

Tom-Jeffe Slagter (Garmin Sharp) was the first to jump from the diminishing peloton on the final climb of the day only to be matched by Geraint Thomas (Team Sky).  The pair put roughly 30 seconds into the other contenders as they charged down the other side on a technical descent on narrow roads through vineyards and seemingly back alleys on their way to the finishing line.  With the riders holding first through third on GC dropped on the way up this pair was racing for the Yellow Jersey at the end of the day.  Thomas's 12 second lead on Slagter almost insured he would be the next wearer of the Malliot Jeune.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website, www.greigleach.com.  Or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

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Paris-Nice Stage 4: Who Is Still There?

The final climb was narrow steep and being so close to the finish potential decisive so all of the players were out to make a move.  Romain Bardet hit the front for his AG2R teammate, Carlos Betancur trying to shuck the Yellow Jersey of John Degenkolb and any other of the highly placed sprinters.  Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Tom-Jeffe Slagter (Garmin Sharp) kept a close eye on the move and made sure the AG2R duo didn't get any gap on them.  The climb did prove it would shake out the GC with Slagter and Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) being the beneficiaries of the steep narrow climb through the vineyards of the Beaujolais region of France.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase by visiting my artist website, www.greigleach.com or you could just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Spring%20Classics%202014/2327071---195767/Painting.html#.UyErBc_D_IU