The Art of Cycling

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Upcoming Exhibition at Kyo Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia

2020 Artwork by Greig Leach Opening at Kyo Gallery, 111 S. Patrick Street, Alexandria, VA

October 20 from 5-8 pm

I'm thrilled to let you know that I will be exhibiting 10 paintings and 4 stained glass light boxes at Kyo Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. The show opens on the 20th of October with a reception from 5 until 8 pm. The exhibition will be combined with a group show focusing on the theme of 2020 and all that surrounded that year both personally and politically. The exhibition will run through late December. Please go to the gallery's website at www.kyogallery.com There are located at 111 S. Patrick Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Their phone number is 571-970-4388.

Bridget and I hope to see you there opening night!

Thank you for your support of my artwork over the years,
Greig

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: The Sprint Behind

I am sure they all thought they would be sprinting for the Rainbow Jersey, but that coveted price has already crossed the line two minutes earlier. So it was Christophe Laporte (France) taking the best of the rest sprint (and the silver medal), just nipping the Australian sprinter, Michael Matthews. They were followed by Wout Van Aert (Belgium) - 4th, Matteo Trentin (Italy) - 5th, and the ever present (and three time Road World Champion) Peter Sagan (Slovakia) in seventh place. I hadn't seen Sagan all day, but here he was when it mattered.

This will most likely be my last cycling painting for 2022. I thank you all for reading along. I hope you have enjoy the artwork. And a big thank you to everyone who has purchased one of my paintings or prints! It truly means alot. The more I can sell, the more I am able to create. So, again, thank you!

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available.

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc. And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907969-35-295031/Painting/the-sprint-behind-uci22-35.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Not a Soul in Sight

Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) came to the line alone to claim the Rainbow Jersey of the UCI Road World Championships. His gap was such that no one was visible chasing behind. He had nearly two and a half minutes on the large group of chasers behind. So that was plenty of time for us to watch the emotions of the moment place across his face, and hands, has he rounded the final bends of the Wollongong City circuit. At the end of the Worlds last year he was frustrated that he could have one the title then, but had to ride for his countryman, Wout Van Aert. This year, Van Aert was too far back to have a chance, so Evenepoel was going to let history repeat himself.

One of the first to congratulate the new champion was Julian Alaphilippe (France) who ceded his two time title to his trade team teammate. One of the last was his countryman, Van Aert.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907952-34-295031/Painting/not-a-soul-in-sight-uci22-34.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Time for His Close Up

Once Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) dropped his last companion, he was off on his own. With every pedal stroke he was gaining time on those behind. And he was getting closer and closer to being the UCI Road World Champion. He had enough of a gap on those behind that the TV Moto was able to slot in behind him and film his solo run to victory. With just thirteen kilometers left to race he was just under a minute ahead of the remnants of the break away and almost three minutes to the peloton that contained the favorites of the day. Barring any crashes or mechanicals, the Rainbow Jersey is his.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907951-33-295031/Painting/time-for-his-close-up-uci22-33.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: The Rainbow Is Gone

All during the women's road race the cameras kept catching rainbows appearing while the rains pelted the women's peloton. Today the sun shone all day, but then that is not the rainbow that has left this quartet. Instead it is the rainbow bands of the world champion that have ridden out of their grasp at the end of the 270 kilometers of racing. Pascal Eenkhoorn (Netherlands), Mauro Schmid (Switzerland), Mattias Skjelmose (Denmark) and Lorenzo Rota (Italy) had seen both Alexey Lutsenko and Remco Evenepoel ride away from them. They didn't have the legs to go with either rider. Lutsenko was still up the road, so the best these four could hope for was to race for the bronze medal. In the end, their race fell even further apart. They managed to catch Lutsenko, but then slowed down too much as they each watched the other not wanting to be the one to be on the front of the group in the final kilometers. They were caught by the chasers, and all hopes of even being on the podium evaporated in an instant.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907917-32-295031/Painting/the-rainbow-is-gone-uci22-32.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: All Alone

It does amuse me when a rider is off the front on his own in a sea of cycling fans is described as being 'all alone.' Clearly Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) is anything but alone as he rides away from Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan) at the summit of his penultimate climb of Mount Pleasant. While the cycling fans along the road have been growing in number by the hour, they were doing rather well at staying out of the way of the racers. It had not been the plan by Belgium to have Evenepoel go for the victory, but the winner of the Veulta d'Espania was in the right place with the right form with just 25 kilometers to race. It may have smarted a bit to ride over the name of Wout Van Aert (Belgium) painted on the road. Or it may have given him that extra motivation since Wout was the theoretical leader of the Belgium team. Regardless, he looked set to bring home the first Rainbow Jersey to Belgium since Philippe Gilbert won it ten years ago. Fitting since Gilbert retired at the end of this year's Tour de France.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907916-31-295031/Painting/all-alone-uci22-31.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Damn, They're Coming

Alexey Lutsenko (Kazakhstan) looks back after his attack to find those he had left coming back up to him. With 37 kilometers to race, it was probably to far to go alone, but he could have been trying to make a small group that would work together. Under his left arm you might be able to make out the light blue jersey of Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) leading the charge back up the the yellow and blue glad Lutsenko. The two would join forces and go away together during the next lap of the Wollongong City circuit. But the penultimate climb of Mount Pleasant would be Lutsenko's undoing.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907914-30-295031/Painting/damn-theyre-coming-uci22-30.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Up & Over, Again

The twelve laps around the Wollongong circuit took everyone up and over Mount Pleasant repeatively zapping strength from the legs every time. The early break was still away with 93 kilometers to go. Each rider followed the other over the top and filed into a long single file line down the other side. While there are others in the group, this is Pieter Serry (Belgium) following, Pavel Sivakov (France), then Luke Plapp (Australia), Lukasz Owsian (Poland), Pier-Andre Cote (Canada) and just dropping out of sight of the fans is Guy Sagiv (Israel). They may be doomed in their efforts to stay off the front since the peloton has pulled them back to an under four minute advantage. Only time will tell if it is all worth the effort for the group.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907913-29-295031/Painting/up-over-again-uci22-29.html

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: 100 K and Still Away

All of these guys had been trying to get away from kilometer zero. But once the break away got established they built themselves an eight minute lead on the peloton. Some of those in the group included the other Sagan, Juraj Sagan (Slovakia), Scott McGill (USA), Michael Kukrle (Czech Republic), Guy Sagiv (Israel) and Jaka Primozic (Slovenia). There are a few more in the group but they are already going down the other side of this small rise. None in the group were seen as a threat by the favorites, so they were free to ride, for now. The race still had another 162 kilometers to race, so there is plenty of time for these guys to come back into the embrace of the peloton. I know that Juraj Sagan was one of those who climbed off his bike long before the end of the race. Others were still off the front in the final laps of the Wollongong City circuit.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907911-28-295031/Painting/100-k-and-still-away-uci22-28.html

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Wollongong 2022, Elite Men's Road Race: Hoping to Get Across

It was a bit of a surprise to me that there was a rider competing under the flag of the Vatican City. Even more so that Rien Schuurhuis (Vatican City) was in the group chasing the break away a minute ahead of the peloton with another 239 kilometers to race. He and his companions, Muradjan Halmuratov (Uzbekistan) and Ognjen Ilic (Serbia) were just about a minute and a half behind the lead group as they all started up the climb of Mount Keira. However, this was Schuurhuis' moment to shine, he soon dropped off the group and slid on back to the peloton on this long tough climb. Honestly, I don't know what happened to him after this moment. I did just check just check procyclingstats.com, and all three of these guys did not finish the race, but I have no idea when they climbed off their bikes.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Wollongong-2022-UCI-Road-World-Championships/3907910-27-295031/Painting/hoping-to-get-across-uci22-27.html