updated 8:35 p.m. ET Sept. 26, 2005

BEAVERTON, Ore. - Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong zipped through the Oregon countryside with five-time winner Eddie Merckx of Belgium at his side, followed by some 3,500 other cyclists stretched out for miles behind them.

But there were no yellow jerseys, trophies or prize money at stake on this ride. This army of cyclists showed up to catch a glimpse of cancer survivor Armstrong and support his new campaign to raise money to support cancer victims — the LiveStrong Ride.

Among the local cyclists was 51-year-old Kevin Adams, who raised $5,500 by sending out e-mails and letters. Attached to his handlebar was a list of about 60 names, his reasons for participating in the ride.

“These are cancer victims and survivors who are close to me,” Adams said. About a third of the people were deceased.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation hoped to raise $500,000 by soliciting donations from cyclists participating in the ride and from others raising money on their own.

Instead, the effort generated more than $1.3 million, foundation spokeswoman Jennifer Halpin said.

A total of 3,500 cyclists signed up for the ride, each paying a minimum $150. Dean Parsley, 70, was among them.

Parsley recently finished radiation therapy for prostate cancer, and is optimistic about the future. During radiation treatment, Parsley refused to allow it to keep him off his bicycle, even though he was feeling a loss of energy.

At Sunday’s LiveStrong Ride, Parsley put in 70 miles.

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Parsley says admiration of Armstrong is helping get him through his own ordeal.

“On days when I wasn’t feeling very good, I thought, this is nothing compared to what he went through,” said Parsley, referring to Armstrong’s victorious battle with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain.

The LiveStrong Rides are modeled after the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s Ride For The Roses, a fund-raiser held each year in Austin, Texas, Armstrong’s hometown.

Six LiveStrong Rides are planned in communities across the country next year, Halpin said. The sites have not yet been chosen.

Asked why the Portland area was selected for the inaugural Livestrong Ride, Armstrong cited Portland’s successful promotion of cycling.

“It’s one of the greatest cycling communities” anywhere, he said.

Portland gleefully encourages the sport by investing in bike lanes, putting bike racks on city buses, and a host of other measures. Four years ago, Bicycling magazine named Portland the best city for cycling.

Armstrong said Portland’s approach is “something to be modeled around the country.”

Another reason for choosing Portland is Armstrong’s links with Nike Inc., one of his sponsors. Nike is also designer and marketer of the $1 yellow LiveStrong bracelets sold to raise money for the athlete’s cancer foundation.

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Another Portland link is Armstrong’s physician, Craig Nichols, associate director of the Cancer Institute at the Oregon Health & Science University.

The Sunday ride began at the Nike campus in Beaverton, where Armstrong addressed his fans from a pedestrian bridge.

“We love you, Lance,” a woman shouted

“We love you, too,” Armstrong replied.

He told the crowd he was “blown away by the level of support” for the fund-raising ride.

Riders started off in waves.

In the front were Armstrong and VIPs including Merckx, the Tour champ from 1969-72 and again in ’74, and Armstrong teammate George Hincapie.

Stretched for miles behind them were riders of nearly every age, including a sizable contingent of husbands and wives on tandems — and in some cases fathers with their children sharing a tandem bike.

Among the latter were Steve Sterba of Portland and his 8-year-old daughter, Danielle.

Stopping for a cookie break at a rural rest stop, Danielle proudly announced that she had raised $1,610 for the Armstrong foundation.

Her 47-year-old father said: “It’s neat to be able to use cycling to further the cause (cancer research.)”

Moments later, Armstrong rode into the rest stop, winning cheers and applause from hundreds of cyclists who had come in for a pit stop.

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