After 18 weeks of arduous training, the 20 cyclists taking part in the Actavis LifeCycle 2013 Challenge finally set off this morning from Minsk in Belarus, feeling a mixture of relief that they are finally on their way, excitement at the adventure ahead and concern over the sheer physical and psychological challenges that they will face over the coming 10 days.

The team, with 11 back-up members, left Malta last Saturday and spent Sunday assembling the bikes and getting a last-minute briefing from the team in charge of the logistics. Monday was a blurry-eyed 5am start and after a carbohydrate-loaded breakfast and a bit of team bonding, last minute hugs and photographs, silence fell as each of them pondered the trials ahead. Everything worked like clockwork and they set off under clear blue skies - although the temperature was thankfully much cooler than in Malta.

Each detail of the route is printed on laminated cards but they will also be following some 300 signs every day which are put up every few hundred metres by one team, and removed by the last car once the last cyclist has passed by - and there could be several kilometres between the first and last cyclist. Today's route will take them 192km, crossing the border to Lithuania after 154km. The terrain is fairly flat with only undulating hills - which makes the day endless, and harder as the cyclists have no downhills during which to rest.

This year's challenge is a logistical nightmare as the route goes in and out of the EU, meaning border crossings which could take hours. During the pre-visit, the team spent several hours at this border crossing - meaning that it could be a very long day for the team.