Following a remarkable Vuelta a España Femenina, capped with an overall victory on the legendary Angliru climb, Paula Blasi (23) continues to rise in the UCI rankings. The Catalan rider from UAE Team ADQ had already secured an impressive position after her outstanding performances in the Ardennes classics, winning the Amstel Gold Race, finishing on the podium at Flèche Wallonne, and claiming a top-five spot at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Now, with La Vuelta concluded and the weekly rankings updated, Blasi sits in second place.
With 4,493 points, the only rider ahead of her is Dutch star Demi Vollering (5,791 points). The next highest-ranked Spanish rider is Usoa Ostolaza, who jumped 22 spots to 23rd after a brilliant fourth-place overall finish in La Vuelta. Mavi García ranks 26th.
At the national level, Spain moves up to fourth place, overtaking France. This position would currently secure the maximum quota of riders for the Olympic Games, though there are still two years remaining before the event.
Blasi returns to action next week at the Clásica de Durango on May 19. Her potential participation in the Tour de France (August 1-9) remains uncertain. On paper, she is listed as a reserve rider for UAE Team ADQ (Mavi García is confirmed to race), but things could change quickly. She was not originally scheduled to ride the Amstel Gold Race either, yet ended up on the top step of the podium.
The Tour de France will feature a time trial and more climbing than La Vuelta, and Blasi is eager to be part of it.
