Sunday 2 December. All long distance rallies are the same. Great when everything is going right. And damn hard work when they’re not. If you don't believe me, ask some of the crews on this years’ Le Jog.

After the first twenty hours on the road the difficulty of the task ahead is still only just sinking in. Here in LIangollen the leaders, Kevin Haselden, Andrew Lane and Robert McClean are all smiles, they’ve seen it all before, nothing fazes them and they are on a charge. Further down the field life is tense. Clare Nedin and Rachel Wakefield are happy to be 21st overall after surviving an icy couple of hours, while Tomas de Vargas Machuca, currently 27th in the bright orange Porsche 911, has been suffering minor mechanical problems but  “It’s okay,” he says. Car of the event so far has to be the stately Rover 100 of Robert and Susan McClean .... after a difficult series of navigational exercises taking in some of the narrowest lanes in Wales, just wide enough for the Rover, they are holding 3rd position.


After a hasty breakfast the circus is ready to move on, slowly heading towards the northern tip of Scotland, but that's Tuesday, and today, oh yes, today is still Sunday.