Colour in Team Sky's Ben Swift - and win an Eddy Merckx print!

Even if you don’t know Richard Mitchelson’s name, you’ve probably seen his work, whether it be caricatures of some of bike racing’s biggest names for Rouleur, which have since made it off the page and onto T-shirts and coffee mugs, or the cycling jerseys he’s designed for Militag. Now’s your chance to collaborate with the Brighton-based artist with a colour-and keep cartoon of Team Sky sprinter and Tour de France debutant Ben Swift.

You’ll find the black and white line drawing of Ben on Richard’s website – there’s also the pictured example in Team Sky’s black and green Rainforest Rescue kit, but you’re invited to let your imagination run wild.

Also on the website is a ‘Vision On’ style gallery of contributions to the artist’s first initiative of this nature that took place this time last year with the subject being Cervelo TestTeam rider Dan Lloyd.

We’ll let Richard carry on the explanation behind this year’s contest in his own words:

“So, here it is... My big COLOUR AND KEEP for this years Tour De France, and it's all about the young Yorkshire Team Sky wonder Ben Swift.



“As a Yorkshire man darn sarf I love to get behind my fellow Yorkshire men and by PRINTING out the black and white image and colouring it in with anything you, your family, your kids see fit...



“And... just like my Dan Lloyd print last year by tweeting/emailing me your colourings I'll compile them all in a Tony Hart style Ga-Ler-Reee... 



“There is even a PRIZE [WOOOOOOOOOOOO i hear you cry] yes a PRIZE [so good I write it in caps] to the most creative colourererer and use of the picture I will send an A4 EDDY print... I know... yowzer. So colour it in, stick it up somewhere; on the fridge, on the cat, on your gran, or in your local cycle hang out. Lets get the support out for Ben in his first Tour De France... 

SO GET THEM CRAYONS OUT AND SHOW SWIFTY OUR SUPPORT!!! Go NOW... Get Printing PLEASE!”

So, happy colouring - we'll be cracking the crayons open too and, er, giving the kids a hand - and good luck in the competition!