Racers cycle through Elmhurst leg of Intelligentsia Cup

The streets around Elmhurst College turned into a course for high-speed races Friday during the fifth annual Elmhurst Cycling Classic.

The races, which ran most the day beginning at South Prospect Avenue and West Church Street, marked the eighth day of the 10-day Intelligensia Cup series. Races were held in Glen Ellyn last weekend.

The 2017 series includes three road races along with seven criterium events.

Lydia Chinchilla, 15, of Glen Ellyn finished in second place in one of the women's race categories.

"This race has been quite a fun experience for me, this is my second year racing and this cup is pretty challenging," Chinchilla said. "I felt pretty strong and I didn't think I was going to make the last sprint, but I used my techniques I've learned over a couple of years and I sprinted out and placed second, which was a really good accomplishment for me."

The Intelligentsia Cup is sponsored by SRAM Corporation, a privately owned bicycle component manufacturer based in Chicago.

The final two races in the series will be Saturday in Lake Bluff and Sunday in Chicago, and will feature riders from across the country and Canada.