The Art of Cycling

Friday, June 4, 2021

Dauphine, Stage 6: Not Bad for an Old Guy!

Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos-Grenadiers) tried to pull the same stunt that his teammate did yesterday. Tao went off the front with a hard acceleration with just under a kilometer to race. Unlike Geraint Thomas, he was caught at the line by a very fast closing Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). Valverde is a seasoned veteran of the peloton so he was ready for the attack. And he wanted the stage win for himself. The title refers to his age, 41. He is not old, but he is in pro-peloton years. On the duo's wheels were Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hasgrohe) looking back over his shoulder to make sure he had is team leader still on his wheel, Wilco Kelderman. The team of the former Maillot Jaune didn't quite move it to a new team member, but they are now at third and seventh overall. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana-Premier Tech) finished seventh on the stage but that was enough to make him the new race leader by eight seconds over his teammate, Ion Izaguirre.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at www.greigleach.com, or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since ti is an original work of art, it is a first come first seved reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburth watercolors from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815305-116-185083/Painting/not-bad-for-an-old-guy-cd21-32.html

Dauphine, Stage 6: Still Free

I couldn't resist this title. In stage 5, Lawson Craddock (EF Eduation-Nippo) went on a solo attack. When I painted that effort I titled it, "Going Free" So naturally when the Texan went again today I had to titled it "Still Free" Craddock was looking good up and over the Cote de Frete, but those behind weren't going to let him stay out there unchallenged. With just fifteen seconds and another 6 kilometers to race, most of them uphill, it was unlikely he would succeed in the effort. He did move himself into second in the King of the Mountian competition.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815293-115-185083/Painting/still-free-cd21-31.html

Dauphine, Stage 6: Showing Their Colors

After Astana-Premier Tech pushed the pace on the way up the Col du Porte, it was Movistar hitting the front on the way back down the other side. Carlos Verona took the team over the top, down the other side, and on up the penultimate climb of the day. Stuck to his teammate's wheel was the designated team leader, Miguel Angel Lopez. On the wheel of Movistar was the guy sitting second overall, Alexey Lutsenko (Astana-Premier Tech). He just needed to stay on the front to guarantee he would be the next to pull on the Maillot Jaune.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815290-114-185083/Painting/showing-their-colors-cd21-30.html

Dauphine, Stage 6: It Was Great While It Lasted

Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) had held the Maillot Jaune for much longer than many expected, including the announcers on NBC Sports. But today was the day the legs just couldn't keep turning over. It seemed that once the elastic snapped, he basically sat up and pedaled squares for the rest of the stage. Conversely, his teammates were still high on the general classification, so he may be saving himself to return the help that the team has given him these last couple of stages. Just ahead of the Austrian, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) was finding the going a bit too tough. With the Yellow Jersey off the back, Astana-Premier Tech, with the Maillot Jaune Virtuale on their team, hit the front and dramatically increased the pace.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815283-113-185083/Painting/it-was-great-while-it-lasted-cd21-29.html

Dauphine, Stage 6: Climbing Well

This was the front of the early break being led up the Col du Porte by Anthony Perez (Cofidis). Matthew Holmes (Lotto Soudal) was climbing well and looking to keep his polka dot jersey of the best climber of this Criterium du Dauphine. On his shoulder was one of the guys who went on the offensive yesterday (to no avail), Sven Erik Bystrom (Uae Team Emirates). Seemingly about to drop off the pace is Julien Bernard (Trek-Segafredo). As it turned out, as soon as I finished painting this an restarted the video, he jumped the other three and went up the road. It was the start of multiple attacks and counter moves as the peloton continued to close in.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815281-112-185083/Painting/climbing-well-cd21-28.html

Dauphine, Stage 6: Letting Them Know

It may be old school, but the chalkboard is still used to let the riders know what the time gaps are between the groups on the road. The peloton has been chasing the large break away since the start of the day. With 30 kilometers left to race it is useful to know just how close the escapees are. And, yes, the team cars, the race radios, and GPS kind of make this relic unnecessary. But I doubt it will disappear anytime soon.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815280-111-185083/Painting/letting-them-know-cd21-27.html

Thursday, June 3, 2021

Dauphine, Stage 5: Did I Do It?

The answer to Geraint Thomas' (Ineos-Grenadiers) implied question is "yes." He had gotten enough of an advantage leading to the final meters of the stage that he had just enough to stay ahead of the fast closing sprinters. His move left Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious) to take his fourth mass sprint, but yet again the sprint was for second place. Rounding out the top five were Alex Aranburu (Astana-Premier Tech) - who was third for yet another stage-, Carlos Bargero (Qhubeka-ASSOS), and Mads Wurtz Schmidt (Israel Start Up Nation). The current Maillot Jaune, Lukas Postlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe) owes a debt of gratitude to these sprinters their closing of the gap to Thomas meant that he gained no more than the bonus seconds for finishing first. Had he kept the gap he opened up and 500 meters he most likely have been the next leader of the Dauphine. As it was the 10 second time bonus moved him up to 6th place in the general classification, just 16 seconds behind Postlberger. And it moved him to the highest ranking amongst his teammates as well, but only by two seconds.

I'm sure the climbing to come will open up much larger gaps on the general classification.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815110-110-185083/Painting/did-i-do-it-cd21-26.html

Dauphine, Stage 5: Surprising the Peloton

It takes more than power and fitness to win a stage race, not that Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) doesn't have plenty of both. It also takes strategy. Thomas made sure he was on the front of the peloton as they came off of the final climb. He (and his team) knew there was a sharp u-turn at the base of the climb at just about one kilometer to the finish. He had a his teammate Michal Kwiatkowski on his wheel. That allowed his teammate to leave a gap and to disrupt the inital response to the Brit's move. That left Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Victorious) to use his last lead out man to try and catch the former winner of the Tour de France. Swinging on to the chase is Lawson Craddock (EF Education-Nippo) still having the legs to chase after his attack on the other side of the Cote.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815107-109-185083/Painting/surprising-the-peloton-cd21-25.html

Dauphine, Stage 5: Going Free

Lawson Craddock (EF Education-Nippo) used the final climb of the day, the Cote du Montrebut to launch an attack on the peloton. As he left the peloton I was reminded of another bike racer from Texas. Craddock opened up a half minute pretty quickly, but then a combination of GC teams and sprinters teams decided they didn't want to let the stage victory get away from them. Craddock took them over the climb but was caught at the bottom of the descent. Still, it was worth the effort.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815084-108-185083/Painting/going-free-cd21-24.html

Dauphine, Stage 5: Gaps Are Forming

With the peloton at full cry and a section of open road exposed the crosswinds, gaps started to form. This group found that a gap had formed and were doing all they could to chase back. The quartet of Laurent Pichon (Arkea-Samsic), Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ), Sebastien Grignard (Lotto Soudal) and Will Barta (EF Education-Nippo) seemed to content to let those on the front do the chasing, while they stayed on the wheels for a relatively free ride back to the peloton. It did work. And it only took a couple of kilometers to rejoin.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Criterium-du-Dauphine/3815078-107-185083/Painting/gaps-are-forming-cd21-23.html