Walnut Creek, CA – As the 2008 racing season came to a close and the Wells Fargo Racing Team / C4 was celebrating its successes, tragedy struck when teammate Mark Pendleton was killed by a hit-and-run motorist who had crossed into the opposing lane of traffic and hit the cyclist head-on. Pendleton was heading back to Martinez after a training ride and was only a few miles from his home. He had already died when a volunteer fireman discovered him by chance. A reward of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty driver is being offered as part of a community effort that includes support by the City of Martinez.
Pendleton was a strong rider in his forties who loved to train hard and race with teammates. Fellow Wells Fargo rider John Hansen, whom Pendleton helped to an early ’08-season victory, remembers Pendleton as one who “was always ready to work for teammates and sacrifice his own results for the good of the squad.” Other teammates remembered Pendleton as one of those rare individuals who embodied both the qualities of a feisty competitor, as well as those of a kind and gracious person.Mark Pendleton is survived by his wife and two sons. As part of Wells Fargo Racing Team / C4’s vow to keep the memory of Pendleton foremost in its minds and hearts heading into 2009, the team’s clothing will feature a graphical badge in his honor. Pendleton’s wife told members of the team that one of his favorite phrases was, “That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” The team has adopted this expression as its slogan, ever to remind them of their vibrant, likeable teammate and their desire to emulate him. The team has posted a link on their home page (www.c4racing.org) that directs to a PayPal donation page for those who wish to contribute to a college fund set up for the Pendleton sons.
Wells Fargo Private Bank will serve as C4 Racing title sponsor for a second straight year, with additional financial support provided by longtime sponsors VandenBerghe Properties and Allegiant Air, as well as new sponsors Creative Environments and ACCO Engineered Systems. The club also benefits from the generous support of Muir Orthopaedic Specialists, Olson Chiropractic, SMP Saddles, PersonalBest Products, Rudy Project, Trek Bicycles, Edge Composites, Peet's Coffee & Tea, OGIO, DeFeet, Base Performance Nutrition, Ritchey, SopoDesign and Encina Bicycle Center.
One of the most important developments for 2009 is the introduction of the team’s five-rider elite women’s squad, led by Kristin Keim. The men’s elite program continues to grow and will be led by pro mountain bike crossover Peter Graf and squad captain Kevin King, and the team’s elite masters roster has been bolstered by the addition of former national team alternate Clark Rasmussen.
In addition to the successes of its race squads, Wells Fargo Racing Team / C4 will continue to organize and promote the ever popular Mt Diablo Hill Climb time trial, successful in terms of public interest, local community support and rider participation at all levels.
Greg McCormac, Vice President and Senior Private Banker at title sponsor, Wells Fargo Private Bank, sees ongoing support of a cycling team as an important way to reach out to the community and increase brand awareness: “As wealth management professionals, my colleagues and I are all about partnering with individuals who want to put their money to work to for them, so that they can enjoy the best possible quality of life for their families. Recreational cycling and amateur bike racing are part of that quality lifestyle for many Northern California residents.”
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