One Facebook post summed it up: “Hold the World Championship in Yorkshire in September, they said. It’ll be fine, they said”, alongside a video of a cyclist ploughing into what can only be described as a lake on the course.

But worse was to come. If ever anyone needed convincing that being a fair-weather cyclist was for them, the images of the world’s best athletes tackling Kidstones in several inches of water would do it.

Closer to home, I too have encountered similar conditions lately, with a rather persistent pool of water on my commute to work and back, adding a unique aquatic experience twice a day to my ride. It was fun at first but the novelty wore off with the daily efforts drying everything off.

The strong westerly winds have been even worse. Rain I can often cope with, but wind, which often means struggling to keep momentum even downhill, is an altogether greater foe.

In short the changing of the seasons to autumn, then winter, can be a trying experience for any cyclist. Clothing can help – some overshoes help keep the warmth in and the rain out. A good jacket, ideally one which helps with visibility in the dark, is also a must have. I have to say, though, that I can struggle in autumn as it is often wet but also stays warm, meaning if the water doesn’t get you from the outside it’ll get you from the inside with sweat.

So should the fair-weather cyclist stay indoors on the trainer? I’ve written before about how they aren’t really my thing. When I stay at a hotel with a gym, I always feel obliged to get my money’s worth and have a go on the training equipment. Five minutes on an exercise bike, however, and I’m bored and thinking about the contents of the minibar.

The likes of networked cycle-trainers such as Zwift and Peloton, which pit you against other riders via the Internet could, however, convince me otherwise. You also never know who you are competing against – or who is watching. I was recently impressed to hear that New Zealand rider Ella Harris had been chosen to ride with the Canyon-SRAM team based on her success on Zwift – her home country, she claimed, perhaps surprisingly, doesn’t have the on-road cycling competitions to get yourself noticed so she joined the Zwift Academy. Your virtual rides from the comfort of your garage will keep you fit for when the warmth returns in spring – and could lead to greater things.

For now, though, I think I’ll continue as before and suffer what the weather throws at me. Despite the threat of soggy feet and what feels like the constant recharging of lights, I find a pragmatic approach helps. Once you’re wet, you’re wet, and you can’t get any wetter. And, like when you hear it raining in a tent, whatever the weather looks and sounds like from the inside, it’s rarely as bad when you’re outside and get going.