If you’ve been to the Empire State Ride finish line these past few years, chances are, you’ve seen a Puerto Rican flag flying proudly from the sea of excited spectators on the sidelines. In 2024, a crew displayed their hometown pride in anticipation of the big moment when Maritza Torres-Rivera and Marian Arcelay of Team Borikén, crossed the Empire State Ride finish line after seven days on the road. When the flagbearers spotted Maritza and Marian on Old Falls street, tears streamed.
Maritza, a Puerto Rican native or Boricua, started participating in Empire State Ride two years ago as a way of honoring a friend. At the time, Maritza and two close friends had planned to embark on El Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage in Europe that culminates in a visit to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Right before the trip, however, one of those friends received the devastating news that her cancer had returned. Treatment would begin right away.
Honoring Her Friend’s Cancer Journey
Having seen an ad for Empire State Ride in Adventure Cyclist Magazine, Maritza decided to pivot and register for the weeklong bike ride to end cancer. This would be her way of standing in solidarity with her friend during her journey. So, she committed to the fundraising and training and successfully made it through 500+ miles across New York State. At the 2023 finish line, both friends greeted Maritza with wide smiles as they waved the flag — one of them enjoying a newly clean bill of health.
“For the 2023 ESR event, they flew to Niagara Falls, and you can imagine what it was like,” Maritza recalls. “I’m always like smiling and sunshine, but at that moment when I saw them, I was crying like a baby. And it was an emotional but super happy memory because she was there, and she was healthy again.”
Maritza describes her first Empire State Ride as unforgettable. It sparked a renewed sense of purpose and meaning inside of her, the cause becoming deeply personal. The people she met and the stories she heard during Empire State Ride have inspired her to take an even stronger stand against cancer.
“My friend was the first person that I thought of when I did ESR, but after that first year, I’ve been meeting so many people, even in my family on both sides: survivors and those who already left us,” she says. “Now Empire State Ride is a mission, and I plan to do it as often as I can until I cannot do it anymore.”
Since her first ride in 2023, Maritza has been a vocal advocate for Empire State Ride, organizing community-based fundraisers and spreading the word to others interested in riding their bike across New York State. In fact, Maritza has stepped up her commitment to the cancer cause in two major ways: first, by growing Team Borikén, and secondly, by committing to fundraising for Empire State Ride.
Empire State Ride’s Team Borikén
Maritza’s passion for Empire State Ride is palpable; evident in all she does and the way she talks about the cause. Inspired by this passion, almost ten people have been moved to join Team Borikén on the road this July, and many of those riders call Puerto Rico home. Borikén is the native and original name of the island of Puerto Rico, and those born on the island are known as “Boricuas.” It was only fitting that Maritza give this name to her team as a symbol of her hometown pride — a pride shared across her team.
Among the riders on Team Borikén will be Maritza’s two brothers on either side of her family who met for the first time in preparation for this adventure.
One of her brothers, Luis Manuel (also know as Manolo), had this to say about riding in Empire State Ride with his hister: “Para mí, va hacer una experiencia muy buena. Lo haré … porque mi hermana va a hacer esto, y será algo bien interesante, y pasaremos un tiempo muy bonito.”
“For me, it will be a good experience. I will … because my sister is going to do this, and we’ll have something really interesting to do and have a really nice time.”
Miosotis, a new member of Team Borikén for 2025, said that she has three reasons to ride: “Número uno, representar a mi país. Yo estoy bien orgullosa de mi bandera, de mi isla. Número dos, el [poder] demostrar que tengo la capacidad de cumplir mis sueños y mis metas. Y en tercer lugar, el [hecho] de que tengo la capacidad de ayudar a otros, aunque yo tengo mi edad, mis propias condiciones [de salud], pero dentro de mis limitaciones, sé que puedo hacer siempre un poquito más.”
“Number one, to represent my country. I am really proud of my flag, and my island. Number two, to prove to myself that I have the capacity to accomplish my dreams and my goals. And thirdly, is that I have the ability to help others. Although I have my age and my own [health] conditions, within my limits, I can always do a little bit more.”
Above all, Miosotis says that this year on ESR, she’s carrying the message that Boricuas really like to give from the heart. “Para mí es porque estoy llevando el mensaje de que nosotros, los boricuas, realmente nos gusta dar de corazón.”
Of course, not everyone on Team Borikén is from Puerto Rico. Maritza has also added an honored addition to the team: BillyTheKid! A fellow lover of all-things Borikén, Billy was one of the first people to donate to Maritza’s fundraising efforts in 2023. At the time, he was just a stranger. Now he’s a fast friend and honorary team member. Maritza calls him “a star” among ESR riders and looks forward to new memories ahead with him and their growing team. There’s also Alesha Telvick, her bike buddy from Ohio, who will join ESR for the first time, too. Alesha’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2024. Maritza’s cousin, Solmarí, a cancer survivor, will also be on the road.
Fundraising for Empire State Ride
With a growing team underway, Maritza has big plans for fundraising in 2025. Last year, she managed to raise more than $10,000 for the cause. This year, she hopes to exceed that amount and make an even bigger impact in the fight to end cancer.
Read more about Maritza’s fundraising initiatives >>
In the meantime, Team Borikén is gearing up for 2025 and hopes you’ll join them in supporting this cause!
“Each member of Team Borikén has faced their share of adversity. Time and again, we’ve tackled challenges head-on, bringing an infectious optimism that lights up any space. This is the energy we bring to the Empire State Ride: an unstoppable force of passion, camaraderie and genuine love for others that transcends the miles,” Maritza says. “Our team may still be small, but our hearts are bigger than the open road we conquer.”
