By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

The first weekend of August is primarily set aside for the Pan Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that raises more money than any other single athletic fundraiser in the country. 

The PMC’s mission is to raise funds for cancer research and treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Together the riders and volunteers will help get closer by the mile to a world without cancer; this is what a bike was meant to do.

This August, Hopedale’s Jeffrey Cote hopped upon his bike for the fourth time over a 21-year span to do his part in making cancer something of the past. 

Cote started riding back in 2003 when he was working with EMC when his co-workers and friends got him on a bike. Although over the years, Cote has ridden for EMC families with struggles, his number one focus each and every time he gets onto his bike is his grandfather, who passed away from cancer.

“Initially co-workers turned me onto the PMC and having my grandfather passing away from cancer gave me an opportunity to ride with a purpose,” Cote said. 

Following Cote’s inaugural PMC ride, the one-day trip from Sturbridge to Bourne, he would then ride again in 2005 and 2013 riding Sturbridge to Provincetown over two days. This year he is back to the same one day ride he took part in during his first PMC, due to procrastination on his part. 

The original ride was an eye opener for the Hopedale native, who actively rode mountain bikes in his younger years. 

“It was defiantly an awakening and the furthest distance that I had ever done,” he said. “I had rode mountain bikes, but the PMC was 109 miles that day and although I was happy with my day, I knew that I would need a lot more training if I was to do this again,”

According to Cote, The Pan Mass Challenge is just that and lives up to its name. Riders need to know that the mental aspect takes a toll on you as well as trying to fight through the pain as you ride.

After riding two more years with the EMC group, Cote found himself in the midst of making a career change around 2017; he was leaving the Tech Industry to become a firefighter. It was here that he happened across someone of the PFFM (Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts) team that wanted him to ride with them in this year’s PMC.

“I was hesitant at first and waited too long to make my decision, that’s why I am only doing the one-day ride,” Cote said. “The professional firefighters have a much stronger presence in the community and it made it a little easier to fundraise and the camaraderie to do it once again was overwhelming.”

While he will still be riding to support cancer, riding with his new team has a different perspective on cancer and what they want their fundraising to go to.

“This team is focusing on fire cancer. All of our funds will be going to a physician studying cancer in firefighters, that’s over $100,000 to one person’s research,” he said. “By researching the cancer in firefighters gives us the opportunity to have longer careers. It is awesome that we have a direct tie.”

Along with his newfound firefighter family Cote jumped on his bike once again to honor his grandfather, but unfortunately he will also be riding for a very dear childhood friend (Chris) who earlier this year was diagnosed with Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer, despite having never smoked a day in his life. Chris was not only Cote’s best man at his wedding, but his daughter’s godfather.

“It was a gut punch and a bitter pill to swallow,” Cote said. “I just want to see him get through this and the PMC is by far head and shoulders above any other fundraising event.”

Despite the PMC being a grueling event for the riders at times, it’s the people along the routes that give them the encouragement they need to keep trudging along.

“When you’re on the bike it’s a party on wheels. Publicity is such a different animal when you’re out there grinding out those miles,” he said. “Seeing all the people cheering and pushing you is a direct feedback to pump you up and keep you going although you may be hurting.”