OSIAN Pryce will contest the Get Connected Rali Bae Ceredigion on Sunday in a Melvyn Evans Motorsport-tuned Hyundai i20 R5 - marking his return to competition after a two year absence.

The inaugural event, which will be the first closed road stage rally to be held in Wales, will be Pryce’s first rally in a fully-homologated R5 car since he contested the 2017 British Rally Championship.

His last finish in an R5 car was on the FIA World Rally Championship stage, when he came home a superb fourth place in WRC2 on the 2017 Rally Finland.

Over the last two years, Pryce, of Machynlleth, has contested a number of selected historic gravel and asphalt rallies.

His last outing was on his local Rally North Wales back in March, where he set fastest time on all eight forest stages to win the National A section of the event by 37 seconds in a RallyXtreme-prepared BDA-engined Ford Escort Mk2 machine.

His participation in this weekend’s Aberystwyth University-based Rali Bae Ceredigion was put in doubt after a mountain biking accident in the Mont-Blanc region of France left him with a broken collarbone, shoulder blade and rib.

After surgery, the talented 26-year old has undergone an intensive recovery programme back at home, which guarantees that he and co-driver Dale Furniss will contest the landmark Welsh stage rally.

Pryce visited the Melvyn Evans Motorsport workshop in Llanwrda for a seat fitting, and had a brief test in the Hyundai i20 R5. Support comes from Pirelli, G&M Pryce Ltd and Hockly Motorsport.

“I’ve been working hard to return to rallying in a proper R5 car, and it’s nice to be able to come and support Wales’ first closed road stage rally in a car run by one of Wales’ top rally teams,” said Pryce.

“After my mountain bike accident in France, my number one priority was to get fit for the new Rali Bae Ceredigion.

“It hasn’t exactly been the ideal preparation, but my recovery is ahead of schedule and everything will be fine. I’m excited to be returning to competition in a fully-homologated R5 car for the first time in two years, and I’m really looking forward to my first rally in a Hyundai i20.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I was also feeling a little bit apprehensive, but I’m confident that those nerves will disappear when the crash helmet goes on.

“Rali Bae Ceredigion will be a tough event, because the stages are very busy and technical, and will be tricky. There is a superb entry, and it’s an event that everyone wants to be the first winner of.

“Having only driven rear-wheel drive historic Escorts for a bit of fun over the last two years, with my last event in one of those being six months ago, the odds of winning are stacked against me, but I’ll be trying as hard as I can, and would be really happy with a podium finish.”

The event is based at Aberystwyth University, where the start, finish and service area are located. Following the scrutineering sessions on Aberystwyth Esplanade on Saturday afternoon, the action gets underway on Sunday morning.

Competitors tackle four stages in the morning, before returning to the university campus for lunchtime service. The afternoon sees a re-run of the morning.