Paula Blasi makes history at Angliru and wins La Vuelta 2026

The Catalan Paula Blasi wrote one of the most important pages in Spanish cycling by winning the 2026 Women's Tour after an exhibition on the slopes of the Asturian colossus, Angliru. The UAE Team ADQ rider did not win the stage, which went to Swiss Petra Stiasny, but she shattered the general classification and became the first Spanish woman to win the women's round.

Paula Blasi Changes the History of Spanish Cycling at Angliru

The final stage, starting in La Pola Llaviana and finishing at the feared Angliru after 132.9 kilometers and almost 3,500 meters of elevation gain, turned out to be a true battle for survival. After a week dominated by sprinters and a first encounter with the mountains in Les Praeres, everything was pending on the debut of women's cycling in such a mythical climb as this.

The Angliru did not disappoint. Its 12.5 kilometers with average gradients close to 10% and slopes exceeding 23% began to break the group apart from a long way out. UAE Team ADQ increased the pace to set the stage for Blasi while riders like Kasia Niewiadoma and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot dropped out even before reaching the decisive kilometers.

The big surprise came when Anna van der Breggen began to show weakness. The Dutch rider had started the day as the leader with an 18-second advantage over Blasi and seemed to have the situation under control after her exhibition the previous day in Les Praeres. However, the Angliru did not forgive.

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The first major move came with the attack from Marion Bunel, to which only Paula Blasi could respond. Shortly after, it was Stiasny who launched a devastating acceleration that further reduced the group of favorites. Van der Breggen eventually gave in, and the Spanish rider sensed the opportunity.

Blasi dropped Bunel and set off alone towards virtual victory in La Vuelta. The Catalan crowned each curve with an expression of absolute suffering but maintained a steady pace while Van der Breggen sank definitively behind. Only Stiasny managed to catch up with her in the final kilometers to take the stage victory, although the day's grand prize was reserved for the Spanish rider.

The Catalan cyclist, just 23 years old, crossed the finish line 23 seconds behind Stiasny and raised her arms, aware that she had just changed the history of Spanish cycling. No Spanish woman had ever won the Women's Tour before, and she did it in such a symbolic setting as the Angliru, the mountain where legends like Alberto Contador, Primož Roglič, and João Almeida triumphed.

The triumph has even more impact due to the speed with which Blasi's career has exploded. Just two years ago, she wasn't even a professional and came to cycling after competing in duathlon and middle-distance athletics. This spring, she had already shown huge signs with her victory in the Amstel Gold Race and her podium finish in Flecha Valona, but winning a grand tour still seemed a distant goal even for herself.

“If three weeks ago someone had told me I was going to win the Amstel Gold Race and the Women's Tour, I would have thought they were crazy,” Blasi explained after the stage. The Spanish rider also acknowledged the extreme difficulty of the Angliru. “After five minutes, I was completely empty, and there were still 45 minutes of climbing left.”

Stage 7 Classification: La Pola Llaviana  Angliru

1. Petra Stiasny – 4h09:40
2. Paula Blasi at 23”
3. Juliette Berthet at 43”
4. Marion Bunel m.t.
5. Anna van der Breggen at 59”

Final General Classification of La Vuelta Femenina 2026

1. Paula Blasi
2. Anna van der Breggen
3. Marion Bunel