Cyclists gear up to combat cancer
Nearly 200 bikers to take part in seven-day, 540-mile Empire State Ride
COURIER L 32 IFE, JULY 26-AUG. 1, 2019 B G M
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
More than 180 cyclists
will don spandex and hit the
saddle for a daunting sevenday
cycling journey from
Staten Island to Niagara
Falls on July 28, in a race to
fight an even more grueling
challenge — cancer.
The 540-mile annual Empire
State Ride was conceived
in 2014 by Terry
Bourgeois to raise funds for
cancer research — and has
grown exponentially since
his inaugural ride, he said.
“Every year, this ride
brings its participants an experience
that will stay with
them the rest of their lives,”
says Bourgeois. “We keep saying
it’s a ride cyclists must try
once in their lives, but the impact
— on you and on cancer
— increases exponentially
the more you do it.”
This year, organizers
hope to raise more than
$1 million from riders and
sponsors — which will go to
supporting cutting-edge cancer
research at Roswell Park
Comprehensive Cancer Center
in Buffalo, according to
the organization.
Riders push themselves to
the physical limits during the
exhausting cross-state ride,
but fi nd inspiration to keep
pedaling from those who have
conquered cancer, according
to one rider who will make
his second voyage this year.
“The idea of what they’ve
gone through — this ride is
nothing compared to hours of
chemotherapy,” said Brooklynite
Phil Zodda. “I’m not
a cancer survivor, but when
you’re riding side-by-side
with someone who has gone
through that, you can’t feel
bad for yourself — those
mountains fl atten out.”
After exhaustive days of
non-stop riding, cyclists will
make six overnight stops along
the meticulously planned
route at camp grounds in the
Hudson Valley, Albany, Utica,
Syracuse and Rochester until
they reach the waterfall wonder
of the world on Aug. 3.
“It’s really more of an adventure
as opposed to a race,”
said Zodda. “It’s long and diffi
cult, but I found it to be extremely
rewarding.”
Each night features a cancer
surviving guest speaker
who inspires their fellow
riders with their stories and
speaks of the importance of
raising funds to combat the
disease — which claims the
lives of around 600,000 Americans
each year, according to
government statistics .
“It’s not so much the illness,
as much as it’s about
processing the word ‘cancer.’
Hearing those stories helps,”
said second-year rider Scott
Cohen from Fresh Meadows.
“You make a wonderful bond
with so many people who are
there.”
Cohen says cycling, and
the Empire State Ride specifi
cally, helped him through
his personal journey through
bouts of health troubles — including
skin cancer, diabetes,
and weaning himself off
opiates.
“The cycling was one of
the key ingredients that’s gotten
me healthy,” he said. “It’s
like an addiction, but it’s a
good one. It’s amazing for the
body and mind.”
While the trek may be tiring,
Bourgeois said that helping
combat the disease is the
only reward they need.
“Every day, every hour,
brings us surprises. But at the
end of that day and that hour,
what matters is what we’re
doing to end cancer by raising
critically needed funds
for research, and helping Roswell
Park get one bike ride
closer to a cure,” he said.
Phil Zodda (left) with other cyclists at the halfway mark of the 2018
Empire State Ride. Jackie Slope