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.
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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.
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…
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