BUZZARDS BAY -- Sen. John Kerry finished the first leg of the two-day Pan-Massachusetts Challenge around 11:30 this morning.

Kerry was one of more than 5,000 cyclists participating in the annual fundraiser.

Kerry, who is riding this weekend in honor of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, and his team of cyclists raised $120,000.

Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer in May and has since undergone surgery.

Money from the Pan-Mass Challenge supports cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Among the people riding with Kerry today were Greg Lemond, the first American to win the Tour de France and Frankie Andreu, who has competed nine times in the Tour de France.

Pan-Mass Challenge riders started today in Sturbridge and ended at Mass Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay.

The 190-mile ride continues tomorrow morning out to Provincetown.

For more on the Pan-Mass Challenge, read tomorrow's Cape Cod Times.