Racing on her home roads, Paula Blasi delivered another outstanding performance to claim victory in Stage 2 of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina and take control of the overall classification.
The 23-year-old Catalan rider powered to victory atop the iconic climb of La Molina after 130 kilometres of racing from Sant Vicenç de Castellet, securing her sixth win of the season. Her remarkable 2026 campaign already includes victories at the Amstel Gold Race and La Vuelta Femenina.
UAE Team ADQ executed a perfect race plan throughout the day, controlling the early moves and contributing to the chase of the breakaway. On the final climb, the work of Alena Amialiusik and Silvia Persico set up the decisive attack from their team leader.
Blasi first accelerated with just over 22 kilometres remaining, but her rivals were able to respond. The steep slopes of La Molina gradually reduced the front group, leaving only Blasi and young French rider Célia Gery (FDJ United-SUEZ) at the head of the race, with Sidney Swierenga (Liv AlUla Jayco) chasing behind.
The race-winning move came 14 kilometres from the finish. Blasi launched another powerful attack, dropping Gery and riding clear on her own. After taking maximum points at the Hors Catégorie summit of La Molina, she continued her solo effort all the way to the finish line, crossing with a margin of 1:20 over Gery and 1:36 over Swierenga. Évita Muzic (FDJ United-SUEZ) finished fourth at 2:36 alongside a small chasing group.
The victory moves Blasi into the overall lead of the race, with an advantage of 1:24 over Gery and 1:42 over Swierenga. On the podium, she also collected the Queen of the Mountains jersey, the Best Catalan Rider jersey and the award for the Most Combative Rider of the day.
Paula Blasi said: “It was a very hard race and it definitely wasn’t easy to win today. After my first attack there was still quite a large group at the front. I had to give everything I had to try to finish alone because I knew that in a sprint someone like Célia Gery could be stronger than me. Everyone was watching me whenever I attacked, so I had to race smart. I wasn’t sure I could make it, but in the end I did. I would like to thank my teammates for all their support. Tomorrow we will try to defend this jersey.”
The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina will conclude tomorrow with the third and final stage, a 111.4-kilometre route from Mataró to Barcelona.
(ph. Getty Sport)
