LEWISTON —TV heartthrob Patrick Dempsey said Saturday he was thrilled to be back in Maine riding his bike in the rain.

Dempsey, who hails from Buckfield, was in the city for the weekend to raise money for the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center, the local hospital where the actor was born.

Three world-class professional cyclists came to Maine to join Dempsey for a group ride Sunday to show their support for the cause. An estimated 3,500 people from 32 states and three Canadian provinces are expected to participate in one of four cycling events: 10-, 25-, 50- and 100-mile rides. A 5K run/walk is scheduled for non-cyclists. All events were sold out.

Dempsey, who competes in cycling, warmed up on Maine roads Saturday before attending an afternoon press conference at the hospital.

“I had a blast today out riding in the rain,” he told a roomful of journalists and supporters. “It never rains in California. And I was in bliss, quite honestly, when I wasn’t picking up David’s gloves, of course, and carrying his water bottle back and forth from the truck.”

He was referring to David Zabriskie, record holder for fastest time trial in the history of the Tour de France and a friend of Dempsey. Zabriskie said he enjoyed the scenery, but nearly crashed his bike on the Saturday ride. Zabriskie was seriously injured in a 2003 collision with an SUV while training in Utah. The accident confined him to a wheelchair for a while and almost finished his cycling career.

Peter Chalke, the hospital’s chief executive officer, said fundraising efforts for the center would include a silent auction and a seated dinner on Saturday evening. Organizers expected to raise more than $1 million from the Dempsey Challenge, he said.

The center, which opened in April 2008, offers hospital adjunct services to cancer patients, including a library and computer station with direct links to cancer-related information; support group and educational programs; and therapeutic massage, Reiki and yoga programs and classes.

For patients who live in rural Maine, a new white Mercedez-Benz car will allow them to ride to and from the hospital in style. The car company sponsored Sunday’s run/walk and donated the car, which served as a backdrop for photos sessions Saturday for Dempsey and the guest cyclists.

Along with his trademark stubble and wavy black hairdo, Dempsey sported blue jeans and a sport top featuring the logo of bicycling equipment supplier Specialized, another sponsor of the event, along with Amgen.

Dempsey said he took up biking as a kid while training for ski racing, a sport in which he earned a state championship in Maine. He learned about an older man from Buckfield who was an avid cyclist. The two struck up a friendship and would take long rides together. Dempsey also was inspired by the movie, “Breaking Away,” a story about a teen from a small quarry town who develops a love of the sport as a way of escaping his rural identity. He said he hopes the weekend’s fundraiser sparks interest in cycling among young bikers in Maine.

When his mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Dempsey started coming home after being away from Maine for a while. “I sort of rediscovered myself … and suddenly, oddly enough, my career turned around,” he said.

The rest is history for the actor who landed a leading role in the ABC network hospital drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”

His mother’s experience, being treated three times for cancer, spurred Dempsey to action, culminating in the creation of the center. His sister, Mary, works as coordinator at the center.   

Dempsey said Sunday’s ride won’t be a race.

“It’s a journey to get to the end,” he said. “That’s the important thing. I’ll just be cruising along and try to make the 50 miles and meet as many people as possible.”

Although this is the first year of the Dempsey Challenge, he said he plans to come back every year to raise money for the center. But he hopes it won’t be forever.

“Hopefully, we’ll get our dreams realized and someday we won’t have to have this,” he said. “Cancer will be cured and we can close the doors and go home.”

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Professional cyclists George Hincapie, left, and David Zabriskie, center, stand with Patrick Dempsey during the
Dempsey Challenge Kick-Off Media Conference at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston on Saturday. Hincapie is a 14-time competitor of the Tour de France and Zabriskie rode the fastest Tour de France time trial in history. All three will be riding 50 miles in Sunday’s Dempsey Challenge.