Movistar signs Paula Blasi on one of the biggest contracts in women’s cycling

Movistar Team has officially confirmed the signing of Paula Blasi on a three-year deal. The Catalan rider, one of the biggest breakout stars in world cycling and the reigning winner of La Vuelta Femenina, will leave UAE Team ADQ to join the Spanish squad in 2027. Her arrival marks one of the most significant moves in the women's transfer market and represents an unprecedented recent financial commitment for the Spanish team.

Paula Blasi joins Movistar: a blockbuster signing for Spanish women's cycling

What had been one of the biggest stories in the transfer market for months is now official. Paula Blasi will ride for Movistar Team through the end of 2029, after the Spanish squad announced the signing of the 23-year-old on Wednesday, October 21.

The signing confirms our report last June that Blasi and Movistar had reached an agreement, although the deal proved more complicated than initially expected. The Catalan rider was still under contract with UAE Team ADQ, and her departure required negotiations that also involved other interested teams.

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Movistar is adding a rider who, in just two seasons at the highest level, has gone from racing for a development team to winning a major stage race and becoming one of the most sought-after riders in the international peloton.

More than €600,000 per season and €85,000 to leave UAE

Although Movistar has not disclosed the financial terms of the deal, Spanish newspaper MARCA has reported some of the details of a move that would place Blasi among the highest-paid riders in women's cycling.

According to the report, Blasi will earn more than €600,000 per year over the next three seasons, representing a total salary commitment of more than €1.8 million. On top of that, Movistar reportedly paid UAE Team ADQ €85,000 to secure her early release from her contract.

The figures are particularly significant because Blasi reportedly turned down higher financial offers to join the Spanish team. UAE attempted to keep her with a more lucrative offer, while the rider had also reached an agreement with Lidl-Trek during negotiations, although that deal ultimately fell through.

Sebastián Unzué, head of Movistar's women's team, and Alex Carera, Blasi's agent and also Tadej Pogačar's representative, reportedly played key roles in bringing the deal to completion.

If those financial terms are confirmed, Blasi would rank among the top five highest-paid riders in the women's peloton, highlighting how her remarkable rise on the bike has transformed her market value in just over a year.

A season that has made Blasi one of the world's top riders

Movistar's interest in Paula Blasi reflects her extraordinary development as a rider. The Esplugues de Llobregat native began 2025 with UAE's development team, but her results earned her promotion to the WorldTour squad in May of that year.

In her first professional season, she claimed four victories, including a stage of the Tour de Romandie Féminin. She also won the under-23 European road race title and took bronze in the same category at the World Championships. However, it was in 2026 that she made her definitive breakthrough.

After opening the season with third place overall at the Tour Down Under, Blasi stunned the field by winning the Amstel Gold Race with a solo attack 26 kilometers from the finish. Just three days later, she finished third at La Flèche Wallonne before rounding out the Ardennes Classics week with fifth place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Her biggest victory came shortly afterward at La Vuelta Femenina, where she won the overall title on her first appearance in a Grand Tour. The Catalan rider delivered a decisive performance on the Angliru, overtook Anna van der Breggen in the general classification and became the first Spanish rider to win the race.

Far from resting on that achievement, she continued to add to her palmarès with overall victories at the Tour Féminin des Pyrénées and the Volta a Catalunya, where she also delivered another standout performance on the stage finishing in La Molina.

Her season also included fifth place overall at the Tour de France Femmes, a race she had not specifically targeted as one of her main objectives. She finished second on the final stage, which ended in Nice.

These results have confirmed her ability to compete in both Grand Tours and one-day Classics, a versatility Movistar hopes to capitalize on over the coming years.

Movistar pairs Blasi with Reusser and Lippert

Paula Blasi's arrival also represents a major upgrade for a team that already features some of the world's top riders.

The Catalan will join Marlen Reusser and Liane Lippert, two established names at the highest level, as part of a project that is also investing in a new generation of talent.

That group includes Cat Ferguson, Paula Ostiz and Alejandra Neira, all three of whom are junior road race world champions and already part of the Movistar organization.

For Blasi, the opportunity to join this group, share sporting responsibilities and develop alongside experienced teammates was one of the key reasons behind her decision.

"I'm at a point in my career where I needed to take a different step and find a team that believed in me, supported my goals and was as ambitious as I am," the Catalan rider said in the team's official announcement.

She also highlighted the role Reusser could play in her development, as well as the emotional significance of riding for a Spanish team.

"I'll be able to grow, share leadership responsibilities and learn from Marlen, which will be important for my development as a rider. It's also my home team, and there's an extra sense of pride in wearing the jersey."

Sebastián Unzué welcomes Movistar's marquee signing

Movistar has made no secret of the importance of Blasi's arrival to the future of its women's team.

Sebastián Unzué believes the signing will raise the team's ambitions and help it compete for the biggest victories on the calendar.

"We're incredibly excited to finally announce that Paula will join our team for the next three seasons. Her arrival takes us to another level and will allow us to fight for victories in the most important races on the calendar," the team manager said.

Unzué also thanked Blasi for putting her faith in the project, particularly after negotiations that had stretched over several months.

Blasi's arrival marks a significant step forward for Movistar Team. It is not just about the financial investment involved, but also about bringing one of the biggest talents in world cycling together with a group of experienced riders and promising young prospects.