Race Report: 2026 Cat's Hill Classic Race - Women 4, Women Novice & Women Collegiate 4/5
Race: Cat's Hill Classic Race - Women 4, Women Novice & Women Collegiate 4/5
Date: 03/21/2026
AVRT racers: Kira Harmann, Meghan Kranzs (Sedovy), Orthja Efinger, Samantha Dewees, Sandrine Veillette
Top Result:
Orthja Efinger 1/8 (Cat 5) 1/26 (overall)
Sandrine Veillette 2/8
Kira Harmann 3/8
Course: 40 minutes of a 0.90 mile 6-corner lap with a short but punchy 11% climb followed by a sweeping descent to the finish.
Strava: N/A
Nutrition: N/A
Recap (written by Orthja Efinger)
Last weekend, five of us lined up in Los Gatos to represent Alto Velo in the Women 4, Women Novice & Women Collegiate 4/5 criterium—and what a race it turned out to be.
Anyone who’s raced Cat’s Hill knows what’s coming: that infamous climb right in the middle of the course. It’s the kind of effort that spikes your heart rate instantly and forces the race to split over and over again. Positioning, timing, and sheer grit all come into play every lap.
From the gun, the pace was aggressive, but Sandrine and I found our rhythm early and stayed near the front, trading pulls and covering moves. When the bonus laps came up, we made sure to be exactly where we needed to be—and came away with the prizes (always a good day when there’s swag involved!).
As the race wore on, it turned into a proper battle, especially with a strong group of younger riders pushing the pace and attacking on the climb. Lap after lap, it was all about digging deep, recovering quickly, and going again.
In the end, it was an incredible result: I took 1st place overall across the combined Cat 4/5 field, with Sandrine right up there in 2nd for Cat 5, and Kira securing 3rd—making it a full Alto Velo podium sweep in Cat 5.
Behind that result, there were some hard-fought and, at times, frustrating battles. Meghan rode a strong race but was ultimately robbed of her finish due to confusion from the officials—unable to confirm whether she was still in or out, she was forced to stop despite likely being able to continue. A really tough and unlucky break. Samantha also battled through the brutal course and put in a solid ride on a day that didn’t give anything for free.
All in all, it was a big day out for Alto Velo—strong teamwork, standout results, and a reminder of just how demanding (and rewarding) racing Cat’s Hill can be.
