Dig in. Tour of the Mining Valleys.

Just why it's called the Tour of the Mining Valleys, I'm not sure.  Most of the mining in Wales, as far as I know takes place in the south east - about 100 miles east of Aberystwyth, the location of this week's road race.

Whilst the rest of the Team were racing the Python Road Race, I thought I'd see if I could race in the hills closer to home.

The terrain was lumpy, and the field was small but strong and before long, the race was strung out.

Each effort became crucial and as I learned, the tougher the course, the less room for dicking around with wasted efforts - like chasing back on after taking a leak - something I will rightly forever beat myself up about.

Regardless, I was well placed in the first group behind the break next to my 'men to mark', Brennan Townshend, Gruff Lewis and Colin Parry until halfway in.  However when the attack came from Parry I couldn't hold the wheel and I crawled round the last lap, finishing, I suspect just inside the top 20.

Carnage enough for the commissarie to call it a day on everyone with a lap left to go.

A tough day, but lessons learned.

Thanks Mammy for the bottle x.

Thanks Smwt for licking my legs clean.  Saved some wet-wipes.

Thanks Mam for the Welshcakes x.

Thanks Rhianon for the Instagram skills x.