Dauphine Sage 1: Just Under Way

This title is doing double duty, first as a description of the action as Bob Jungles (Trek Factory Racing), the Time Trial Champion of Luxemborg, gets underway in the opening time trial of the Criterium du Dauphine, and two, as an apt description of my starting in on painting the eight coming days of racing through eastern France.  The Time Trial is often called the race of truth as each rider is competing on his own against the clock, no drafting, no strategy and no team helpers.  Jungles was one of the earlier riders to start out and posted the best time for the 10 kilometer course that stood until almost the final rider crossed the finishing line.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring four inches by six inches and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  They are a family owned (and run) American art supply company based in Wisconsin that provide exquisite materials for all sorts of art making projects.  In addition this painting is available for purchase at my artist website, www.greigleach.com .  Just follow the direct link at the end of this post to buy your piece of the 66th Criterium du Dauphine. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Dauphine%202014/2386034-1-0-199476/Painting/Sports.html#.U6BlQc_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Now We Can Rejoice

This seems like the perfect title to end my work on the 97th Giro d'Italia.  We have been witnesses to some great racing, ecstatic jubilation, and crushing disappointment, but all in all we have seen bike racing at its finest.  I don't know if Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is superstitious but I did notice that he did not do any outward signs of victory celebration, no champagne during the stage, no visiting each team car to be congratulated.  All he allowed himself was a fist pump as he crossed the final finishing line of the Giro and then the hugs and cheers from first his team and then all of Colombia.  During the broadcast on BeIn Sports, I learned from Daniel Lloyd and Carlton Kirby, that this is the first of the three Grand Tours ever that a Western European never held the leader's jersey.  In this Giro the Maglia Rosa went from a Canadian to two different Australians and then to two different Colombians.  This is a wonderful indication of the growth of cycling and its International appeal.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

This is the end of my Giro d'Italia cycling pieces, they will remain available at my website.  I will enjoy a break, just like the peloton.  But I will be back in a couple of weeks painting another race, most likely the Criterium de Dauphine, followed by the 101st Tour de France.  Thank you for follow my artwork and a special thank you to all who have bought one of these little paintings for your own.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2374006---198213/Painting.html#.U4uXV8_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Flying

The final sprint of the Giro d'Italia was hotly contested, it included the possibility of a change of ownership of the Maglia Russo, the sprinter's jersey.  If the perennial runner up, Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) could win and Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) not place at all, the it would be Nizzolo who would claim the Jersey for the Giro.  Unfortunately for him, it was Marcel Kittel's lead out man Luka Mezgec (Giant Shimano), in the German sprinter's absence, who to the stage.  Nizzolo finished second yet again, with the American, Tyler Farrar (Garmin Sharp) taking the third slot on the podium.  But for the French, it was Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) taking fourth on the stage and first in the Maglia Russo.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting please follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not take the time to browse around at all of the artwork on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2374000---198213/Painting.html#.U4uUNc_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Last Minute Attack

Also using the climb to get away, Daniel Oss (BMC) got away from the peloton on the bell lap and stormed down the back side of the climb towards the finishing line with a small gap on the sprinter's teams.  The climb had slowed up the trains and it took some valuable seconds to figure out who was were and did there man have a chance to get to the line.  Oss used those seconds to his advantage, but never got far enough away to make his break stick.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard (4"x6") that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting you can follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373982---198213/Painting.html#.U4uPTM_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Using the Climb

The next two to jump out of the peloton in hopes of surprising the peloton, used the sharp short climb ahead of the finishing line to stretch their legs.  Stefano Pirazzi (Baridaini CSF) was covered by Valerio Agnoli (Astana) as the crested the peak on the fifth time around the 7.3 kilometer loop.  Tens of thousands of fans lined the course craning their necks and straining at the barriers to get a glimpse of the action and a photograph of their heroes.  After yesterday's fan debacle, it was good to see everyone out of the way and well behaved.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373976---198213/Painting.html#.U4uM4c_D_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: The First to Attack

Once the first lap had been completed and the honor and respect had been paid to the Maglia Rosa of Nairo Quintana (Movistar) it was time to get down to racing.  The first two, to quote Phil Ligget, to turn a pedal in anger where Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) and Svein Tuft (Orica GreenEdge) under the watchful eye of the following TV Moto.  All of the racing is covered by multiple camera men on the backs of motorcycles following the racers most every move, combined with two camera mounted helicopters and some stationary cameras at the finishing line.  It is the rare sporting event that will cover hundreds of kilometers of open road rather than being limited to a stadium.  Tuft won the Maglia Rosa on the first day of road racing in Belfast and spent time as the Lanterne Rouge (the last on the general classification), but went on the attack to show the jersey of Orica GreenEdge who are down to just two riders.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4"x6" and is available through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.  While you are there, why not take the time to browse around all of the artwork on offer?

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373974---198213/Painting.html#.U4uIZMvD_IU

Giro d'Italia Final Stage: Parading Quintana Home

Cycling is a sport full of traditions, pageantry and unwritten rules, one tradition of the final stage of a Grand Tour is for the team of the overall leader to parade around the first lap of the final circuit of the final stage.  Another is to share a glass of champagne with the Director Sportif while tooling along on the stage, but Movistar opted out of that one (or at least it didn't happen under the eye of the TV Moto).  The circuit in Trieste included a sharp little climb about 3 kilometers from the finishing line, that seemed the appropriate place to show Quintana and his Movistar team.  After all it was in the mountains where he won the 97th Giro d'Italia.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard measuring 4 inches by 6 inches and was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  Also, this painting and indeed all of my cycling art, is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com for only $50 USD.  For this particular painting, just follow the direct link at the end of this post to get your piece of Nairo Quintana's first Grand Tour win.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373962---198213/Painting.html#.U4uDQMvD_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 20: On Top of the World

The view and what Mick Rodgers (Tinkoff Saxo) must be feeling are the same, he is on top of the world.  To win a stage in a Grand Tour is something that an extremely limited number of people can ever claim to have done, to win two in the same race is exponentially rarer.  After today, it is something Rodgers can savor for years and years to come.  And then he can add to it that it was on one of the hardest climbs in any Grand Tour and against the arguably best climber of the contemporary peloton.  Chapeau, Mick!  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post. 

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373568---198213/Painting.html#.U4pRTMvD_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 20: Protected from the Fans

Once Mick Rodgers (Tinkoff Saxo) was within the final kilometers, the entire route was lined with security personnel who had linked arms to prevent exactly what had happen just two kilometers earlier.  Rodgers was climbing wheel for wheel with Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Bardiani CSF).  Just as Rodgers stood up to escape the Italy and over zealous fan, hoping to help Bongiorno, pushed the Bardiani rider so hard that he had to stop and put his foot down so as not to run into the Australian.  This disrupted Francesco's rhythm and broke his spirit as well.  He was unable to catch back up to Rodgers, who never waited.  It seems unlikely that the incident with the fan changed the outcome of the stage, but it is a lesson to all of us should we get the chance to see these races in person.  Let them race and cheer them on from a safe distance!  Maybe watch the alcohol intake as well.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting you can follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373566---198213/Painting.html#.U4pNvMvD_IU

Giro d'Italia Stage 20: Job Well Done

Both Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Rigobeto Uran (OPQS) can be saying, "Job well done" to their teammates after today.  First for Quintana, his team worked tirelessly to drive the pace of the peloton and to chase down any of the attacks from the top five riders on General Classification.  And Uran will thank Pieter Serry (OPQS) who put in one last push as he was drifting back from the break to pull Uran further away from Fabio Aru (Astana) who is just behind Uran on the GC.  Still hanging tough after throwing something from a fan into the woods, is Serge Pauwels (OPQS) pulling Uran up the incredibly steep Monte Zoncolan.  Perhaps Uran was hoping to gain time on his fellow Colombian who is clad in pink, but he couldn't have realistically thought he would make up three minutes on his compatriot.  This is an original watercolor and ink postcard that is available for purchase through my artist website at www.greigleach.com.  For this particular painting just follow the direct link at the end of this post.

http://www.greigleach.com/large-view/Giro%20d'Italia%202014/2373554---198213/Painting.html#.U4pGhcvD_IU