‘Five minutes before I attacked I was dropped’ - Paula Blasi solos to biggest career win at Amstel Gold Race

Paula Blasi claimed the most significant victory of her career by soloing to win the Amstel Gold Race Ladies in Valkenburg, overcoming a peloton that included five former winners. Remarkably, Blasi revealed that just five minutes before her decisive attack, she had been dropped from the group. Despite initial doubts about her strength, she regrouped and launched a bold move to support her teammates, which ultimately turned into a winning breakaway. Blasi’s triumph was made all the more impressive by the fact that this was her debut at the Amstel Gold Race and that she was a late addition to UAE Team ADQ’s squad due to injuries and illness within the team. The young Spaniard’s previous WorldTour success was limited to a prologue time trial victory at the Tour de Romandie last year, marking this win as a breakthrough on a much bigger stage. She attacked alongside Nienke Vinke on the descent of the Belemerberg before dropping her companion on the Cauberg climb and riding alone into the final lap. The chase group behind Blasi was unable to organise an effective pursuit, allowing her to extend her lead to over a minute despite nearly taking a wrong turn in the closing kilometres. As rain began to fall, Kasia Niewiadoma and Demi Vollering launched late attacks from the peloton, contesting the remaining podium places, with Vollering eventually winning the sprint for second. Blasi’s tactical acumen and resilience under pressure were key to her success in a race known for its challenging terrain and aggressive racing. Blasi’s victory signals a potential rise in her career and offers UAE Team ADQ a significant boost after a difficult build-up to the race. Her performance highlights the unpredictable nature of women’s WorldTour racing, where perseverance and opportunism can overturn expectations. Looking ahead, Blasi’s breakthrough at Amstel could mark the start of more prominent results in the classics and stage races to come.