UAE Team ADQ continues its impressive summer form with yet another outstanding performance, this time on French roads at La Périgord Ladies, where Paula Blasi claimed a spectacular solo victory.
The Spanish U23 National Champion crossed the line alone in Boulazac-Isle-Manoire after a dominant team display. Behind her, teammate Karlijn Swinkels sprinted to second place, while Dominika Wlodarczyk finished sixth and Maeva Squiban eighth, capping off a strong collective effort.
The race covered 120.7 kilometers, starting from Lac de Rouffiac. From the outset, UAE Team ADQ took control of the race, setting the tempo and keeping every move in check. Around the halfway mark, a breakaway of 15 riders formed at the front — crucially, it included all six UAE Team ADQ riders: Lara Gillespie, Maeva Squiban, Karlijn Swinkels, Dominika Wlodarczyk, Francesca Pellegrini, and Paula Blasi.
With full numerical strength, the team dictated the pace in the breakaway, building an advantage of up to one minute over the main bunch. Then came the decisive moment: Paula Blasi launched a solo attack, distancing herself from the breakaway companions and quickly establishing a gap. As seen in previous races this season, her effort proved unmatchable. Blasi powered to the finish line to secure her third UCI win of the year and sixth victory overall in 2025, including the Catalan Championship and two Spanish U23 national titles (Road Race and Time Trial).
Behind her, Swinkels claimed second place in the sprint of the chasing group, while Wlodarczyk finished just behind in sixth place, with the French Maeva Squiban eight.
The team will be back in action tomorrow at La Picto – Charentaise, a 132.5 km race, ready to continue this exciting momentum.
Paula Blasi shared her thoughts after the race: “It was a hard day today, but I really enjoy racing in France – the narrow roads, tricky corners, and steep climbs really suit me. It was quite similar to the race I won here a few weeks ago, so I felt confident and strong from the start. Our plan was to aim for the win with either Karlijn or Domi. With 32 km to go, we were in a reduced group of 11 riders, and we decided to animate the race. I launched an attack to force the others to chase, hoping Karlijn or Domi could counter afterward. I honestly didn’t expect to stay away all the way to the finish… but that’s how it turned out! The team did an amazing job controlling things from behind, and with Karlijn finishing second, it was a fantastic result for us!”
(ph. Aymeric Lassak)
