'I wanted to prove La Vuelta wasn't a fluke' - Blasi reflects on Tour de France Femmes debut

Blasi came into the Tour de France Femmes as the reigning Vuelta a España Femenina winner. Media outlets across the spring and early summer had speculated over whether Blasi would ride the Tour as a co-leader alongside Elisa Longo Borghini or as a domestique. Blasi had told EFE ahead of the race that she was going to Nice to help the team, and the Catalan finished fifth on GC with Longo Borghini on the podium. UAE Team L'IMAD had two riders in the top five overall.

The Spanish rider was open with AS about the size of the step up from a Vuelta win to the three-week Tour.

"From the cyclist who reached the first stage of the Tour to the one now, there's no comparison. It's been a rollercoaster. I've suffered a lot with positioning — when you're not positioned correctly on a climb, you have to put out twice the watts from behind."

Blasi's Vuelta win in May had earned her the Tour selection, but the Catalan was aware that a debut ride at fifth overall was needed to validate her form.

"I wanted to prove that my Vuelta win wasn't a fluke. That was one of the things that motivated me to give absolutely everything at this Tour. I feel I've shown the level I'm at, and I know I can grow from here."

Working with Longo Borghini across the closing week gave Blasi a chance to learn from one of the peloton's most experienced GC riders.

"Working alongside Elisa has been a masterclass. She has so much experience and she's helped me understand where to save energy and where to attack. I've learned more in these three weeks than in the whole of last season."

Blasi was measured about her position relative to Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//SRAM). The gap is one she believes she can close.

"I'm still one or two steps behind Demi and Kasia. I know that. But I feel I can come back next year with the experience of this Tour behind me and challenge for a podium, and eventually for the yellow jersey. That's what I'm working for."

Blasi's future is the biggest ongoing story in women's cycling. The Catalan is under contract with UAE Team L'IMAD until the end of 2027 but has a €100,000 buyout clause that has attracted interest from Movistar Team, Lidl-Trek, FDJ United-Suez and Uno-X Mobility. 

Wielerflits reported in June that Blasi had signed a Movistar deal for 2027 at a reported salary of just under one million euros per season, though Blasi herself told the In de Waaier podcast before the Tour that "the market is still open."

Team president Melissa Moncada met with Blasi and her agent Alex Carera in Nice at the end of the Tour de France Femmes in a final attempt to keep the Catalan at UAE Team L'IMAD, with the team having reportedly offered a contract extension until 2029. 

Blasi's next target is the UCI Road World Championships in September, where she will lead the Spanish national team.