Photo: Leaving the hills of Le Marche behind for the next three months.

“Pian pian” means slowly slowly in the local Fanese dialect. That describes my start to the 2018 cycling year. Too hungover to cycle on New Year’s Day I hoped to ride today. It was cold and very wet. Cold and dry I can cope with, as I can wet and warm. Cold and wet is at best unpleasant, at worst dangerous.

All I managed today was to clean my bike and take it to secure winter storage. Having been burgled earlier this year I’m so glad I store my bike elsewhere when we’re not here.

Tomorrow we drive to Piemonte to see some friends for a few days before returning to London on Saturday for three months. I really must start my 2018 season on the Sunday as on Monday I’m having a wisdom tooth removed.

“Pian pian” will become “Pain pain”.