Race Report: 2026 Santa Cruz Classic Criterium - Women 3/4/5
Race: Santa Cruz Classic Criterium - W3/4/5
Date: March 22nd, 2026
AVRT racers: Samantha Dewees, Orthja Efinger, Katie Monaghan, Sandrine Veillette
Top Result: Orthja E. (2/26)
Course: A short, flowy circuit featuring a downhill hairpin into a fast descent, followed by a short uphill rise, a tight turn, and a steady uphill drag to the finish
Nutrition: Oatmeal with berries, banana, and peanut butter
Recap (written by Sandrine Veillette):
We came into Santa Cruz carrying momentum from Cat’s Hill the day before. After a chilly team warm-up in the parking lot, practicing tight turns and opening up the legs, Sam, Katie, Orthja, and I felt good and were excited to see what we could do as a team.
This was my first race in a combined 3/4/5 field. Katie emphasized staying within the first 10 wheels at all times to avoid the accordion effect through the hairpin, which proved critical. The course made for a dynamic race, with a good mix of technical sections and a power-focused uphill finish that suited us well.
Orthja spent much of the race on the front, setting a steady tempo and putting pressure on the field, especially on the climb. While this helped wear riders down lap after lap, it also came at a cost. By the final lap, that effort made the win more difficult to contest. In hindsight, we could have distributed the workload more evenly to stay fresher. She still brilliantly finished 2nd, and came away with valuable lesson for future races.
The prime lap, sponsored by Cycle Sports (thank you for the last-minute crowd prime), was one of the most exciting moments of the race. Orthja went for it and took the win. It looked like she might turn it into a breakaway (she had a good enough gap) and Katie and I were ready to disrupt any chase behind her. In the end, Orthja chose to sit up and rejoin. In true team spirit, she insisted on sharing the prime with all of us afterward, even though she earned it entirely on her own.
Throughout the race, we worked well as a team. I could hear the announcer call out, “Alto Velo controlling the front of the race,” which captured it perfectly. Katie was always nearby, helping protect our position, and it made a big difference knowing she was there. Sam stayed with the peloton and rode a steady, strong race through to the finish.
In the final lap, I came out of the last corner in 3rd wheel, Katie ~5th. I battled very hard for third but ultimately came away with 4th. Katie 10th. I’m very proud of the strong finish in a competitive field.
To cap off the weekend, Orthja secured the Omnium win across Cat’s Hill and Santa Cruz. Even more exciting, this race marked the end of our time in Cat 5; we’re both officially upgrading to Cat 4!! Excited to see where the season leads us!