Laundry drying apparatus and method of controlling a drying cycle in a laundry drying apparatus

The invention relates to a method of controlling a drying cycle for drying delicate laundry in a laundry drying apparatus, in particular in a dryer or in a washer-dryer, wherein the laundry drying apparatus comprises a cabinet, a rotatable drum adapted to receive laundry to be dried, and a drying air channel arrangement designed to guide drying air through the drum for drying the laundry in the drum. The drying air is heated by a heating element and a blower is arranged in the channel arrangement adapted to convey the drying air. A drum motor is adapted to rotate the drum selectively in a main rotation direction (58) and in a counter rotation direction (66). The method comprises a drying phase sequence (60) having a first drying phase (62) and subsequently a second drying phase (64). In the first drying phase (62) the drum is rotated alternately in the main and the counter rotation direction (58, 66) while the drying air is conveyed at a first average flow rate through the drum. In the second drying phase (64) the drum is rotated in the main rotation direction (58) while the drying air is conveyed at a second average flow rate through the drum, wherein the first average flow rate is lower than the second average flow rate. Further the invention relates to a laundry drying apparatus adapted to implement the method.