Dallaglio Cycle Slam - latest

"Stage one, day one and I'm already losing the plot," said Dallaglio as he prepared to set off from Rome's Stadio Flaminio in the freezing cold weather on Friday 12 February.

The Dallaglio Cycle Slam will take place over the course of a month. The challenge will see a team cycling through all of the Six Nations countries, taking in each of the international rugby stadia along the way.

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The ride will end with team Dallaglio arriving in Murrayfield in time to watch England and Scotland fight it out over the Calcutta Cup on 13 March.

The aim is to raise £1m which will be split equally between Sport Relief and the newly formed Dallaglio Foundation, whose beneficiaries include Cancer Research, DebRA, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Help for Heroes and the RPA Benevolent Fund.

Dallaglio was joined by former footballers Lee Dixon and Les Ferdinand and Italy and Argentina rugby star Diego Dominguez among others.

"I'm from the Caribbean, I'm not made for this type of weather," joked former QPR, Newcastle and Tottenham striker Ferdinand.

"The most important thing when you're on a bike ride is to eat," added Dixon, before munching on a snack during what appeared to be a blizzard .

The cyclists had to stop early as a result of the Arctic weather.

"I was actually really enjoying the cycling despite the weather," said Dallaglio.

After all the work and planning that has gone in to this it is devastating to have to stop early. Rest assured though we will not be put off and will press on as soon as it's safe to do so."

Dallaglio will be joined by over 250 other cyclists including a host of celebrities and sports stars such as Josh Lewsey, Keith Wood and Kenny Logan, who will cycle a selection of stages along the way.