Keen to emulate the success of track stars like Chris Hoy and Katie Archibald, the DRC Tri team headed for the Newport Velodrome.

The velodrome has now been renamed in honour of the 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas. DRC Tri took a contingent of 24 riders across to Wales a roughly equal mixture of newbies and more experienced riders, for a two- hour track session.

Spokesman Andrew Osborne said: "The key fears for the newbies were no brakes and fixed gear bikes, which cannot be free-wheeled.

"The TV belies how steep the banking is. Even at the blue line (not even halfway up) you are head and shoulders above someone standing on the flat.

"Our coach for the day made it very clear that his safety was the most important thing for the session, apart from smiling.

" He (Steve) got the more experienced group out there first doing peel offs from the blackline.

"Then it was time for the newbies, starting with the basics of how to go and stop, Steve quickly got us doing laps of the flat section in groups.

"This was gradually built up until as we each came round it was “blackline, go fast” and we did! The experienced group then had their second session and the chain gang was looking quite tidy with neat peal offs, with some getting quite brave and exploring the top of the banking.

"Overall it was a great session, even though the newbies were all left wanting more. Thank you to Steve and the team at the Newport Velodrome."

Caroline Jones, summed it up for the newbies, she said: “ We had a great time at the Velodrome with the DRC TRI group. It was a bit scary at first, when you approach those wooden walls, but thrilling stuff going fast around the track.”

DRC Tri Coach Tony Freer concluded: “What an awesome evening at the velodrome. Nobody fell off and everyone rode. Garry Strickland did well not to come a cropper when one pedal decided to explode, leaving him to do a lap one-legged."