Another day, another medal for UAE Team ADQ. Spanish rider Paula Blasi claimed the bronze medal in the U23 Women’s Road Race at the World Championships Kigali 2025, while her teammate Alena Ivanchenko finished in seventh place.
This year marks a historic first: the U23 Women had their own dedicated World Championship road race, featuring many of the most promising young riders already competing at WorldTour level.
The 119.3 km course in Kigali, with its demanding climbs, once again proved decisive as in the previous races of the week. Three UAE Team ADQ riders were at the start: Spain’s Paula Blasi, Britain’s Eilidh Shaw (racing with the UAE Development Team), and Russia’s Alena Ivanchenko, competing as a neutral athlete.
The race quickly turned into a battle of attrition, with riders being dropped as the pace intensified. Shaw worked hard in the early stages to support her national teammates, while Blasi and Ivanchenko remained well-positioned in the front group.
The decisive action came in the final 20 kilometers, when a series of attacks reduced the lead group. On the last climb, three riders managed to break away — two French and one Slovak — while Blasi and Ivanchenko stayed in the chasing group.
French rider Célia Gery launched the decisive move after strong teamwork from Marion Bunel, securing the gold medal ahead of Slovakia’s Viktória Chladoňová.
In the closing meters, Blasi produced a remarkable sprint, overtaking Bunel and outsprinting Italy’s Eleonora Ciabocco to capture the bronze medal — a historic podium for the young Spanish talent.
This is already the third medal for UAE Team ADQ athletes at these World Championships in Rwanda, the first ever hosted on the African continent. It follows Federica Venturelli’s bronze in the U23 time trial and Brodie Chapman’s gold medal with Australia in the Mixed Relay TTT.
Paula Blasi said: “The truth is, I still can’t believe I have this medal around my neck. My time trial a few days ago didn’t go well and I was a bit disappointed. But then yesterday, in the Mixed Relay, I started to feel better — maybe I had finally adapted to the climate here — and today I lined up much more confident. I tried to race smart, saving my energy and not wasting it by closing down every single attack.
The final was really tough and aggressive. I honestly didn’t expect to win a medal, but when we hit the last climb in Kigali with just a small group left, I focused on staying calm. When Bunel attacked, I knew I couldn’t follow immediately, so I stayed with Ciabocco and the others, hoping someone would close the gap. Eventually, Ciabocco bridged across to Bunel, and I still felt I had strong legs. I knew I could fight for a medal, so I launched the perfect sprint — I closed my eyes and went full gas all the way to the finish line.
Right now, I just want to enjoy this amazing result. The past few days have been tough, but I kept believing, kept working hard, and in the end it all paid off. I’m really proud of this achievement and grateful to UAE Team ADQ and the Spanish national team for their support. I’m truly very happy.”
(ph. Getty Sport)
