Jack Manganis has made history as the youngest Pan-Mass Challenge cyclist this year to complete the two-day, 186-mile route from Sturbridge to Provincetown. He is 14 years old and received special permission to ride the full route last weekend. (The age cutoff for the 186 miles is usually 15 years.)
Manganis crossed the finish line Sunday afternoon after 13 hours of riding over two days.
“One of the many moving parts was seeing so many people — some going through cancer treatment, or survivors — cheering us on by the side of the road,” Manganis said. “That’s what sticks with me.”
Thirty-three Marblehead residents joined this year’s Pan-Mass Challenge, which raises money for Dana-Farber and cancer research and treatment. More than 6,500 riders from around the world participated. The bike-a-thon is the largest athletic fundraiser in the country and has raised more than $1 billion since 1980.
Manganis rode with his dad, Dave, and family friend Angus McQuilken. Last year, he completed the 50-mile route.
Manganis remembered the first time he felt cancer’s impact on society.
“There was a public figure, a YouTuber that went by the name Technoblade, who I liked and found hilarious,” he said. “He died of cancer in 2022 at just 23 years old. I was 11 at the time. Having Technoblade’s last public statement being read by his dad, on my phone in the middle of the night, shook me. ‘How could death be that unfair?’ was a frequent thought.”
He added, “I continue to hear about how cancer affects the people around me everyday. I feel it’s important to clarify that is not an exaggeration.”
Manganis has been training for months, riding at least once a week and hitting the gym. He rode a Cervelo Soloist road bike and completed 108 miles Saturday before sleeping at the Mass Maritime Academy. On Sunday, he finished the final 78 miles to Provincetown.
“It was definitely hard, but what made it a lot easier was riding with Angus and my dad,” he said. “Near the end, I felt like I was dying. Then I saw these people in yellow dinosaur costumes dancing in the road. I thought to myself, ‘Just keep peddling.’”
Manganis crossed the finish line with his dad and McQuilken. He’s already planning to ride again next year.
To learn more about Jack Manganis’ PMC ride, or to donate, visit profile.pmc.org/JM1292.
