Lewis Moody has never stepped away from a challenge.

From the moment he retired from professional rugby in 2012, he made a promise to himself to keep pushing physically and mentally, taking on a new challenge every year. But this one carries a different weight.

Living with Motor Neurone Disease has changed many aspects of daily life. It has also sharpened the importance of moments like this. The opportunity to test himself, to spend meaningful time alongside close friends and former teammates, and to use his platform to help drive awareness and fundraising for others living with MND.

“I want to do this while I still can,” Lewis says. “But this is about far more than the miles.”

That perspective sits at the heart of everything this challenge represents.

Because while rugby shaped much of Lewis’ life, this journey is about something bigger than sport. It is about resilience, friendship and creating impact where it matters most.

Across seven days, Lewis and the Lewis Moody XV are cycling more than 500 miles from Newcastle to Allianz Stadium ahead of the Gallagher Premiership Final.

The route itself has been deliberately shaped around the rugby journey that defined his career. Beginning in Newcastle, where rugby legend Doddie Weir first made his name, the ride passes through Oakham, Leicester, Bath, Bracknell and other places deeply connected to Lewis’ story in the game.

Each stop represents a chapter.
Each mile carries meaning.

At face value, it is an immense physical challenge. But the purpose extends far beyond endurance. Every stage supports the work of My Name’s Doddie Foundation and their mission to accelerate research into effective treatments for MND.

With a fundraising target of £500,000, the challenge reflects the urgency that sits at the centre of the foundation’s work. Because for those living with MND, time matters.

Rugby has always been built on shared effort.

That spirit remains at the heart of this challenge.

Alongside Lewis, a handpicked group of former teammates and close friends will join the ride. Players who shared changing rooms, victories, defeats and years of friendship. Martin Johnson. Jonny Wilkinson. Ben Youngs. Mike Tindall. Tom Croft. Phil Vickery and many more.

Together they form the Lewis Moody XV.

Not a team selected to win trophies. A team assembled to make a difference.

Because while the route retraces Lewis' rugby journey, it also reflects one of the game's greatest strengths: the relationships it leaves behind long after the final whistle.

Every mile of this journey is driven by something bigger than the ride itself. If you’d like to stand behind Lewis, the team, and the work of My Name's Doddie Foundation, you can help bring the impact of this challenge even further by contributing to the cause here.