LBL: Getting the Pay Off

The title of the preceeding painting, "Risking It All" dictated the title of Jakob Fulgsang's (Astana) victory.  He nearly lost his race, while taking big risks on the descent of the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons back into Liege.  His victory is a clear proof that you have to risk failure inorder to succeed.  And succeed he did with a solo ride across the finish line with only the race director's car behind him.

With this the final race of the spring racing season, I will take a break.  I am going to have to forego painting my favorite of the Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia.  I just can't make the time committment right now.  I do plan to paint the Tour of California instead.  With luck, I will be able to paint both the women's and the men's races.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325655-449-195767/Getting%20the%20Pay%20Off%20%20LBL19-7.html

LBL: Risking It All

Others had tried on the way up and over the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons, but it was Jakob Fulgsang (Astana) who got away from everyone else.  His race almost came to grief on the wet roads and the slick painted markings.  He turned his bike sideways and yet managed to keep himself up right on the way back down the other side of the climb. 

Ironically, in the Rio Olympics, it was Annemiek van Vleutin who crashed and broke her back in very similar circumstances.  Ironic because she was the winner today of the Femmes Liege Bastogne Liege.  Clearly she has recovered from that rather horrible day in 2014.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325640-448-195767/Risking%20It%20All%20%20LBL19-6.html

LBL: Getting Away

With the final ascent up the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons, it was time to make an attempt to catch the race napping.  Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) was the first to go, perhaps hoping to be the first Belgium rider to win the race since 2011.  More likely he just want to win.  After a bit of drying out, it was a cruel fate of weather that the final kilometers including a steep descent would be contested on wet roads.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325636-447-195767/Getting%20Away%20%20LBL19-5.html

LBL: Cycling Strip Tease

One of the many challenges facing the peloton in today's Liege Bastogne Liege was exactly what to wear during the phase of the race.  As the riders left Liege it was just barely above freezing with a hard rain.  As the kilometers mounted, the day warmed the sun popped in and out, and the effort of racing warmed the racers' core (if not their fingers and toes).  So it was that Enric Mas (Decenunick Quick Step) stripped of his arm warmers even as he set the pace on the front of the peloton.  It must have been even more demoralizing for Michael Albasini (Mitchelton-Scott) to be caught by someone who was undressing rather than struggling with the effort of catching him.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325632-446-195767/Cycling%20Strip%20Tease%20%20LBL19-4.html

LBL: Changing Bikes & Sponsors

There are a number of things that confuse me about professional cycling... Why women don't get equal billing & pay being the biggest one.  But another that leaves me scratching my head is the decisions of sponsors.  I get it when a team has been caught doping in the past and the company doesn't want to be associated with the negative press of the riders' (and team's) actions.  But when a team has been as dominate and clean as Team Sky, why would their sponsor pull out of bike racing.  Sky as been extremely successful in the past decade and has had the largest budget of any Pro Tour Team and yet this it the last time we will see the Sky kit in a bike race.   So it just seemed like David De La Cruz (Sky) getting a bike change was the right image to show the closing of this chapter of the Pro Tour.  Don't worry for the riders, the team stays, it will just have a new name going forward - and sorry, I don't know what that name is.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325628-445-195767/Changing%20Bikes%20&%20Sponsors%20%20LBL19-3.html

LBL: Anyone Coming?

As this pair climbed the Cote du Rosier, it was Omar Fraile (Astana) looking back to see if anyone else was bridging across.  For Tanel Kangert (EF Education First) it was more about the effort of getting over yet another short steep climb.  For a break away, it is a delicate balance of numbers, particularly when there is still 60 kilometers to race.  You need numbers to help with the work load, but not so many as riders are able to sit on and use their saved energy to beat you to the finish line.  For Fraile and Kangert, two was too few.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325625-444-195767/Anyone%20Coming?%20%20LBL19-2.html

Liege-Bastogne-Liege (LBL): Huddling for Warmth

Liege-Bastogne-Liege is the final of the Spring Monuments, although this year it was more of a winter race than a glorious ride through the Belgium country side in mid Spring.  Although it was not as awful weather as previous editions when snow nearly froze the peloton.  It's a hard decision on a cold rainy day if behind in the peloton out of the wind and in the road spray is better than the alternative out in a break away facing the cold wind on your own.  This early break including Tobias Ludvigsson (Groupama-FDJ), Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie), Andrea Pasqualon (Wanty-Gobert) and Mathijs Paassochens (Wallonie Bruxelles) decided to split the difference and go as a small group.  I doubt it made much difference, but than there is some comfort in being off the front of the peloton.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3325621-443-195767/Huddling%20for%20Warmth%20%20LBL19-1.html

Fleche Wallonne: Two in a Row

While it was Jakob Fulgsang (Astana) who launched the attacks on the final climb of Mur de Huy, it was Julian Alaphilippe (Decenunick-Quick Step) who landed the victory.  Alaphilippe was able to repeat his victory from last year despite being forced to spend energy chasing back on early in the race. Fulgsang almost got back on the Frenchman, but in the end he had to settle for second place.  You can just see the heads of the peloton cresting the hill behind, giving you an idea about just how good the pair climbed the Mur de Huy.

I plan to be back painting Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.  I will then take on the Tour of California where I pray there will be access to both the men's and women's racing.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3322913-442-195767/Two%20in%20a%20Row%20%20FW19-6.html

Fleche Wallonne: A Bit of a Gap

Half way up the final ascent of the Mur de Huy, it was Jakob Fulgsang (Astana) who put in the attack.  Only Julian Alaphilippe (Decenuinck-Quick Step) had the legs to chase the Dane inside of the last 500 meters of the race.  Clearly one of these two were going to be the male victor today.  Earlier, it was Anna Van der Breggen taking the win in the women's Fleche Wallone.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3322911-441-195767/A%20Bit%20of%20a%20Gap%20%20FW19-5.html

Fleche Wallonne: Making His Escape

Using the oldest move in the racing handbook, Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto Soudal) went on the attack just as the race came back together.  Marczynski employed his time trialing abilities to quickly build up an eleven second advantage with just another 13 kilometers to the final summit of the Mur de Huy.  It is unlikely that this move will work, but it takes the pressure off of his team leader, Tim Wellens, who is safely tucked into the peloton behind.

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/Spring%20Classics%20/3322909-440-195767/Making%20His%20Escape%20%20FW19-4.html