Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Hoping to Hold Them Off

It was just these three guys who came up Governor's Hill together in a position to contest the win.  Felix Gall (Austria) looks back over his shoulder trying to gauge just how much Clement Betouigt-Suire (France) and Rasmus Pedersen (Denmark) had left in their legs.  With a false flat facing the riders as they turn onto East Broad Street, Gall must have felt a little better seeing a little daylight opening between the Frenchman and the Dane.  Ultimately the threesome held these positions as they crossed the line although it was a photo finish between Gall's first place and Betouigt-Suire claiming the second step on the podium.  The next threesome down the road was a full 10 seconds behind the winner with the bulk of the peloton arriving over a half a minute later.

This is a small original watercolor created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushed from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, prints of this painting will be available through the Richmond Times Dispatch website at www.richmond.com, hopefully very soon.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: An Inspired Ride

Leo Appelt (Germany) rode an inspired ride in the Junior Men's individual time trial.  He was one of the few riders who posted an early leading time that withstood those of all of those starting later in the day.  The course took him pass the mural that I created along Belvidere Street that separates the main north-south route from the quaint and unique neighborhood of Oregon Hill.  Perhaps the depiction of his countryman and three time World Time Trial Champion, Tony Martin, behind him help him deliver this inspired solo effort around the relatively flat 18.6 mile course.

This is a small original watercolor created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushed from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, prints of this painting will be available through the Richmond Times Dispatch website at www.richmond.com, hopefully very soon.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Fighting Their Machines

The second race to face the climb up the wall of 23rd Street was the U23 Men's Road Race.  While most of the media, fans, and pre-race hype focused on Libby Hill, it was the short steep climb up the newly laid cobbles of 23rd Street that was the real challenge.  Early into the nearly 110 mile race, a race that included 11 trips up this climb, Davide Martinelli (Italy) tested his legs leaving Gergory Daniel (USA) and the rest fighting with their machines to hold onto the Italian's wheel.  This climb leads the riders up from the now defunct tobacco warehouses that lined the canal on the river's edge.

This is a small original watercolor created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushed from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, prints of this painting will be available through the Richmond Times Dispatch website at www.richmond.com, hopefully very soon.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Ready to Go

I was struck by just how relaxed these young women appeared as they waited for the start of their road race through the streets of Richmond, Virginia.  I am sure that all of the training and race experience helped Karlijn Swinkels and Aafke Soet (Netherlands) feel prepared, but I know that I was a bundle of nerves when I raced at this young age.  Not that I would have ever been able to dream of racing in the UCI World Road Racing Championships.  I had the good fortune of meeting most of the Dutch Junior Women's team and even after completing this race they were a very relaxed and joyful group of cyclists.

This is a small original watercolor created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushed from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, prints of this painting will be available through the Richmond Times Dispatch website at www.richmond.com, hopefully very soon.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Home Team Girl

The American, Emma White, was one of the early riders of the Junior Women to hit the course on the first day of riders racing in their national colors.  White had been posting new best times all along the course, times that she carried with her as she pushed all of the way to the line at 5th and E. Broad Streets.  Her ride earned her the top seat as she watch rider after rider fail to knock her off of the leader's chair.  It wasn't until her teammate, Chloe Dygert, hit the line that she knew it would be silver instead of gold for her efforts on the streets of Richmond.

This is a small original watercolor created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushed from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, prints of this painting will be available through the Richmond Times Dispatch website at www.richmond.com, hopefully very soon.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: On the Course

Islam Mansouri (Algeria) took care making the tight U-turn under the shadow of the Davis Monument has he prepared for the fast (although bumping) trek back down Monument Avenue and the gradual, albeit almost flat, descent towards the river.  I noticed that every day, standing in the exact same spot on this corner, was a man proudly waving his Colombian flag as riders of every nation swung pass.  Monument Avenue is one of the more beautiful roads in Richmond with its tree lined median and its early 20th century mansion adding a stately back drop to the statues of the leaders of the Confederacy.

This is a small original watercolor created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushed from www.richesonart.com.  In addition, prints of this painting will be available through the Richmond Times Dispatch website at www.richmond.com, hopefully very soon.

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Supporting Taylor

Team BMC came to the start house at Lewis Ginter with every intention of repeating their win in Ponferrada, Spain.  The American registered team brought some notable time trial specialists with them to further that goal, including the American Taylor Phinney.  Phinney was naturally a crowd favorite, for both his reputation on the bike and off of it as well.  While I was painting the races downtown, I met Tom Seaman who was thrilled to have the opportunity to be the gentleman holding Phinney's bike at the start of their bid for gold.  Seaman was one of thousands of volunteers who provide any number of different support services to make the races run smoothly and safely.  In fact, so many Richmonders came out that the organization found them selves having more volunteers than they were able to use.

This painting was one of those that was commissioned after the races had ended so it is not available for purchase.  However, if you would be interested in commissioning a piece of cycling art for yourself, please email me through my website at www.greigleach.com   This work was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Of Course!

Sine the announcement of the course for the Richmond 2015 UCI World Road Racing Championships, I have been telling anyone who will listen that Peter Sagan would win.  It is so much fun to get it right.  I'm sure Sagan feels much the same way.  Although he had to work very, very hard to make it happen.  Sagan didn't have a big team to support him or chase down breaks so he had to ride a smart race.  When the second to the last break went with such a strong group of riders including the current and a former World Champion I was worried.  I literally had not seen Sagan all day (which can be a very good thing in a long bike race) and now he had missed what looked to be the decisive move.  But know, he trusted the desire and ability of others to chase down the escapees.  Then he had the brains to wait until the short very steep climb up the 23rd Street cobbles.  He used his descending skills to push out enough of a lead that he could hold them all the way up (and there was a bit of steep up) to the line.  It was wonderful to watch him be congratulated by virtually every rider in the peloton.  I don't think a single rider begrudged him his victory.  Perhaps now Oleg Tinkoff will shut up....  I doubt it.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  The works were done live in the middle of the Fanfest area across from the awards podium as the racing was going on.  Prints and the originals will be available before very long at www.richmond.com (the website of the Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper).

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds: Untitled

I was no less excited than everyone watching on the roads of Richmond, across the world on the television or in the Convention Center with me, to watch Peter Sagan make his move stick up the final climb of Governor's Street and along the berserk cycling fans lining the false flat to the line.  So excited with his victory that I neither signed not title this painting.  I was surprised to not see one of Sagan's creative and jubilant victory salutes.  He had plenty of time to celebrate the moment leaving the rest of the charging peloton 3 seconds down the road.  Perhaps is 6 second place finishes in the Tour de France had left him wanting to make sure the victory was his before he celebrated.

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  The works were done live in the middle of the Fanfest area across from the awards podium as the racing was going on.  Prints and the originals will be available before very long at www.richmond.com (the website of the Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper).

Richmond 2015 UCI Worlds:

Everyone expected the final ascent of 23rd Street to be the deciding moment of the race. Everyone.  But just because it is expected doesn't mean it can be countered.  It was Tom Boonen who launched just at the base of the climb, quickly passing the fading Tyler Farrar (USA) who had attacked back at Monument Avenue.  Again listening to the crowd in the Convention Center as I painted, they would roar with delight everytime Farrar rolled to the front of Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus).  They attempt was foiled on the first of the final three climbs.  But it was the mutli-talented Peter Sagan (Slovakia) who had the legs and the power to counter Boonen's attack.  Sagan is a brilliant descender, so this move could be the move that wins the Jersey!

This is a small original watercolor and ink painting that was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.richesonart.com.  The works were done live in the middle of the Fanfest area across from the awards podium as the racing was going on.  Prints and the originals will be available before very long at www.richmond.com (the website of the Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper).