Pan-Mass Challenge Riders Finish Strong For A Great Cause

BOURNE (CBS) -- It was an early morning on Sunday for the thousands of bikers taking part in the Pan-Mass Challenge.

This year's goal is to raise $52 million for cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Riders completing the largest route -- 192 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown -- took off in Bourne Sunday. One of the water break stops along the way was in Brewster's Nickerson Park. Rider Jeff Pretentis took the time to tell WBZ-TV why he rides.

"My wife had breast cancer and my brother had brain cancer and they both survived," he said. "They were both treated at Dana Farber. I worked at Dana Farber years and years ago in the laboratory. So it means a lot. I've also lost a lot of relatives -- and to me, this is the thing that I can do. I can't cure cancer, but I can raise the money to cure cancer."

Six hundred riders took off from Babson College in Wellesley to ride to Patriot Place in Foxboro and back Sunday. This is one of the many PMC routes.

WBZ is the proud media sponsor of the Pan-Mass Challenge. WBZ was also well represented on the course.

Volunteers there would turn the start line into a finish line while bikers were out. Leslie Laputz is an assistant site coordinator there.

"Overall, we've got about 4,000 volunteers across the entire weekend and they give everything they have to make this work," he said. "Some of them were here at 4:30 this morning and we've had a couple that years [pasts] that have stayed until 2:30 the following morning. It wouldn't happen without them."

WBZ-TV anchor Lisa Hughes crossed the finish line for the eighth time. Hughes said her father-in-law and aunt died of cancer, and she trains with four survivors, so the cause hits close to home.

"I do it because it's the one thing you can do that makes you feel somewhat powerful against a disease that is so devastating," said Hughes.

PMC founder Billy Starr said the massive event brings people from all walks of life together.

"There are a lot of reasons why this event works. It's a great community, it's a great hospital we are working for. Everybody's got a story. People meet and make friends for life," Starr said.

Starr said a rainy Saturday didn't impact the mood.

"It was the first time we ever had an all-day rain at Mass Maritime Academy, and it didn't effect anybody," Starr added.