Wales has quietly made its way into the upper echelons of world cycling and the Yr Ddraig Goch roared loud and proud when Geraint Thomas stormed to the gold medal.

Thomas capped a superb performance by the Welsh, which also included top-ten finishes for Luke Rowe and Scott Davies, to ensure the principality left Glasgow with a cycling gold medal to its name.

With sprinting ace Becky James having been forced to pull out of the track cycling – just one of a number of Welsh athletes to miss the Games through injury or suspension – Thomas was their last remaining hope of adding a gold medal to his time trial bronze, and the bronze and silver Elinor Barker earned at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

And the two-time Olympic team pursuit champion did exactly that, confirming Wales’ place among the elite in world cycling.

With 18-year-old Davies also impressing, and Rowe recovering well from a crash to claim fifth, the future is certainly bright for the riders from the valleys.