Chris Horner, a pro cyclist who calls Bend home, was happy to meet with his fans Sunday at the third annual Cascade Gran Fondo.

The event, hosted by Horner, 41, features scenic bicycle rides of 22 miles, 53 miles and 75 miles through the Cascades west of town. The start and finish line was at the Mt. Bachelor parking lot, where Horner mingled with the crowd before the 9 a.m. start.

“I am here to socialize, take pictures and sign autographs,” said Horner, a four-time Tour de France participant who also rode for the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics in London.

The socializing happens along the rides, and at rest stops along the way, said Megan Horner, 31, Chris’ wife and the event organizer.

“He’s not here to race,” she said. “It’s more just a chance to interact with fans.”

About 300 people took part in the rides, and about 70 percent of the riders hailed from beyond Central Oregon. Megan Horner said riders came from 30 states, and one even traveled from Scotland for the event.

Gran fondo events started in Italy, and the big rides are increasingly popular in the U.S. Each rider chooses how to approach the ride, either in leisurely fashion or hustling.

“It is for everybody,” Megan Horner said.

Along with the ride, the Cascade Gran Fondo featured Chris Horner telling race stories Friday at the Tower Theatre and appearing at a dinner Saturday at Scanlon’s restaurant at the Athletic Club of Bend. A fundraiser for the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, World Bicycle Relief and the Livestrong Foundation, the appearances brought in $10,000 last year and likely more this year, Megan Horner said.

The pictures included ones of Chris Horner holding an eight-pound, 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier while the dog’s owner smiled next to him.

Heidi Mueller, 47, of Redmond, said she also has a shot of Horner holding Cooper the dog last year. Mueller’s husband and son — Chris Mueller, 47, and Nathan Mueller, 20 — rode in the first three Cascade Gran Fondo events. Heidi Mueller said she wants to ride in it herself next year. Of course, Cooper will have to come.

“He loves going for bike rides,” she said.

The autographs were on posters, bikes and cycling jerseys. Troy Juresko, 63, and his wife, Cecille Juresko, 55, had Horner sign the back right shoulder of their matching shirts, but even before that they stood out. The couple, from near Spokane, Wash., wore jerseys with stop-motion-celebrity Gumby on them.

Troy Juresko said they have a collection of “retro” jerseys, with other quirky throwback designs.

“We get them so we know where each other is at,” Troy Juresko said.

While the Jureskos were dressed for fun, many of the riders wore jerseys adorned with team sponsor names and looked ready to race. The Cascade Gran Fondo wasn’t a race per se, but there were prizes for the top three men and women finishers.

The winners this year were Ryan Trebon for the men and Serena Bishop Gordon for the women. Both are pro cyclists from Bend known for their successes in mountain bike and cyclocross races.

Rather than race, Horner said he was doing a relaxed ride of the 53-mile course and then catching a flight Sunday afternoon. He is set to ride in the Tour of Utah starting Tuesday. According to the race website, the pro cycling race will cover 586 miles over six days.