David Tabone, a former rugby international, left Malta yesterday for the ride of his life.

Tabone will be the only Maltese taking part in Lawrence Dallaglio's Cycle Slam, an epic fund-raising cycle event which started in Rome on February 12 and is scheduled to finish in Edinburgh on March 12.

The route coincides with Six Nations matches and has been split into five stages.

Tabone is joining Dallaglio and friends for the final stage with his route starting in Rosslare (southern tip of Ireland) tomorrow.

After 549 kms and a ferry crossing to Stranraer, he'll finish in Edinburgh eight days later, just in time to watch Scotland vs England.

Dallaglio, the ex-captain of England's rugby squad, and Tabone are old school friends.

"What started as a light-hearted challenge during a recent reunion has snowballed into a massive event," Tabone said.

"As well as supporting Lawrence in his bid to raise £1m for the UK's Sport Relief and the recently established Dallaglio Foundation, I will also be raising funds for the Malta Hospice Movement.

"I've had massive support from family, friends and sponsors in Malta and really hope that the training I've put in will pay off. But, the thought of spending seven days in the saddle is worrying me more than anything I did in my rugby career.

"I'm really looking forward to watching Scotland vs England at the end of the trip, but I reckon I'll be doing it standing up."

The Malta Hospice Movement provides Palliative Care support to patients and families affected by cancer, motor neurone disease or other terminal illnesses. Sport Relief raises money to help vulnerable people in the UK and also the world's poorest countries.

Tabone's progress could be monitored on the official website www.dallagliocycleslam.com.

One may obtain more details on how to contribute with donations to supportn Tabone's challenge by visiting www.justgiving.com/David-Tabone-doing-somethingcrazyforcharity.