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Patrick Dempsey Might Be Headed to the Olympics and 'Grey's Anatomy' Fans Are Freaking Out

Photo credit: Amy Sussman - Getty Images
Photo credit: Amy Sussman - Getty Images

From Good Housekeeping

  • Patrick Dempsey has been named a captain of the U.S. Olympic cycling team.

  • He'll raise awareness for the team, as cycling is one of his life's biggest passions.


He made a name for himself by pretending to save lives Grey's Anatomy, but did you know that Patrick Dempsey actually uses his love of sports to make a change in real life? As an avid cyclist, the actor created an entire charity fitness event in 2009 in his native Maine known as the Dempsey Challenge. The annual fundraiser encourages participants to walk, run, and cycle their way around the greater Portland area to raise money for the cancer community in the state.

And now, his passion has landed him a new opportunity to support others. It was recently announced that USA Cycling has partnered with Dempsey to spotlight this year's delegation to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

According to reports from the Portland Press Herald, Dempsey will work with American cyclists headed to the Olympics this summer as an honorary captain. His main job will be helping raise awareness for the American squad of athletes competing in Tokyo, which includes a roster of incredible cyclists that managed to finish third overall behind Great Britain and the Netherlands in Rio in 2016.

"I have been a passionate cyclist for years now and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that I could not pass up," Dempsey told the Press Herald. "Cycling is not just a sport, it's a lifestyle, and it is important to bring awareness to the world. I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to play a small part in USA Cycling."

The former Grey's Anatomy star has been cycling with pros frequently over the last few years. He's partnered with former pro athlete Tom Danielson on T20 Cycling, a social-driven cycling community that hosts other avid cyclists in events across the nation.

While cycling might not get as many viewers as gymnastics or swimming does, we're betting that Dempsey's help as a captain might change things a bit this year. His biggest fans are already floored that their favorite actor is casually adding "Olympic cycling" to his resume this year.

If anyone can get a whole country anxiously awaiting a slow-but-steady time trial, it's McDreamy. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for a streak of Dempsey's signature quaff down the track any day now.

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