The second half of April has been a whirlwind for Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ), 23, who came into the Ardennes Classics with no big expectations but came away with so much more.
The Spanish talent claimed a solo victory at the Amstel Gold Race despite originally not even being on the startlist, stood on the Flèche Wallonne podium, and finished it off with a fifth place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a result that left her feeling disappointed she could not follow veteran rider Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) and race for second place.
“You always want one more. After La Roche[-aux-Faucons], I felt I was super close to getting to the three girls with Van der Breggen. I just missed the last 20 seconds where she got to the group, and I was so mad. I was on the limit, but I pulled twice, and maybe I should not have pulled because then she was still with energy, and I was dropped like a rock,” she said.
Blasi analysed the crucial moment on the short climb after the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons where Van der Breggen jumped across to the chase group that raced for second place behind Vollering.
“I was just 20 metres away from that group, but I just could not do any more. When you feel it’s that close, and you miss it … I’m super happy with fifth place. Two weeks ago, I would not even have thought about it, but once you aim for victory, sometimes fifth is a bit short,” she gave an insight into how her own standards had increased in the span of only a few days.
After a ninth place in the Brabantse Pijl, Blasi was added to the squad for the Amstel Gold Race only one day before the race, as illness and injuries had left the team short-handed.
She nevertheless ended up winning the Dutch classic after bridging to Nienke Vinke (SD Worx-Protime) with 25km to go and then dropping Vinke on the Cauberg for a 20-kilometre solo.
In the Flèche Wallonne, Blasi was among the strongest riders up the Mur de Huy, finishing in third place and beating riders like Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) or seven-time Flèche Wallonne winner Van der Breggen.
And in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Blasi confirmed that her success wasn’t a one-off and she will be a rider to watch in hilly races in the future.
“I have always been hungry for results. Sometimes you’re just there for the team, but once you get the opportunity, you always aim for the best. I think this week changed my life completely. From now on, I will still enjoy working for the team, but I also think I will get my own opportunities,” Blasi staked her claim for more leadership opportunities in a stacked UAE Team ADQ.
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