Sitting on the sofa, or lying in bed, while your beloved bike remains out of reach can be difficult – especially if you have little to distract you from your illness.

But, as we’ve already alluded to, discipline is the best way of giving your body a chance to recover properly.

Gallagher’s advice, therefore, is to always concentrate on the bigger picture – look at what your rest will do for your broader targets rather than any immediate impact on your fitness.

He concluded: “Take confidence in what you have done in the past weeks and months – it doesn’t disappear overnight and it doesn’t disappear in five days.

“You might feel below-par in the first instance but if you use the proper steps to build up your training again then the fitness you had will come back. Take confidence in that and look at the bigger picture in terms of what you are hoping to achieve.

“If you have a coach then listen to them. They can offer impartial advice without the motivational constraint of wanting to immediately get back on the bike. While you will want to keep training, they can advise you without that attachment – use that hunger instead to see you through a period of rest and the training to follow.”

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