Santa Cruz Classic Cycling Criterium: Sweet reward for cyclists

Article on Jens race at Santa Cruz Crit:

Sweet Reward:

By JULIE JAG
Sentinel staff writer

SANTA CRUZ — Jennifer Chapman may be drinking strawberry smoothies for months.

That’s what she gets for winning four lap prizes, known as primes, in the elite women’s division race at Sunday’s Santa Cruz Classic cycling criterium. Chapman of Felton didn’t win the race. In fact, she finished out of the money at 11th. But she did win more primes than anyone else thanks in part to some blocking by her Velo Bella teammates. And with each of those primes came a flat of strawberries donated by California Giant of Watsonville.

"I hear I can freeze them," Chapman said when asked what she would do with them. "Or make strawberry shortcake."

Eventually Amber Rais of Palo Alto got by the blocking with the help of her Palo Alto Bicycle teammates to win the 20-lap elite women’s race. In the men’s elite race, professional cyclist Michael Sayers worked alone to win after completing 50 laps along a .9-mile route around Beach Hill.