Bike theft in the peloton - Paula Blasi’s and UAE Team ADQ robbed at the 2026 Volta a Catalunya Femenina
Cycling
Paula Blasi’s bike has been stolen. The Spanish UAE Team ADQ star endured a turbulent start to the 2026 Volta a Catalunya Femenina after her Colnago Y1Rs was taken, shortly after stage 1.
Bike stolen from Blasi at an odd moment
The theft was announced by Blasi’s UAE team via social media: “Stolen bike alert. After stage 1 of the Volta a Catalunya, Paula Blasi’s Colnago Y1Rs race bike was stolen in Santa Susanna. The bike carries UAE Team ADQ’s official colors and is easily identifiable. If you have any information, please contact the local authorities.”
The setback has not knocked Paula Blasi off her stride as she targets another peak in a standout season. The Spaniard began 2026 under the radar, but since her spectacular win at the Amstel Gold Race Ladies, her rise has been rapid and includes not only a GC win at La Vuelta, but talks of a transfer and a salary that could top that of any other female pro cyclist.
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In an interview with Catalan outlet Esports3, before the start of the race, the young UAE Team ADQ rider approaches success with ease and a hint of surprise. “Now everyone wants to sponsor you and I think, wow, okay, I’ve won, but I was the broke one less than six months ago, and before that brands wouldn’t even reply to me”, she admits, aware that in pro sport value is measured by results.
She arrived at the UAE structure from the ground up, taking on a development role that quickly proved too small for her talent. “At UAE I came in like on the development team, like a Barça C, let’s say. Grow, learn, and I think my rise has been so fast that for some teammates it’s hard to see that maybe I’m a leader”, she explains.
This accelerated transition is a challenge, as stepping from apprentice to winner in barely a year breaks the usual mould.
Difficulties for teammates to accept her leadership within the team
Although she recognizes that a change of scene would hand her the captain’s stripes straight away, Blasi opts for prudence: “You see a girl who a year ago didn’t know how to ride a bike and suddenly she’s winning a stage race, and you say, I have to work for her. Sure, if I join another team now as a designated leader, that’s different. But I’m telling you, right now at UAE I’m very happy and we’ll see what happens”.
Beyond cementing her results, the Catalan maintains a strong bond with races at home, especially the local tour, an event that marked her beginnings in the UCI ranks.
Blasi keeps vivid memories of that race, where she took her first pedal strokes at the top level, but also where she suffered a heavy crash that still echoes in her mind and kept her from starting the recent edition. “One of my first UCI races was two years ago at the Volta a Catalunya. I had a very, very bad crash and last week I couldn’t race it”, she laments.
For her, racing in front of home fans goes beyond chasing results; it is a key platform to inspire new generations and show that the summit is within reach.
“The Volta a Catalunya is the race back home. One of my aims is also to promote cycling a bit more. The best thing I can do is go to the Volta and show that a normal girl like me can be up there among the best”, she reflects, making clear her short-term goal in front of her crowd: “Nothing would make me happier than raising my arms there”.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- exactly, he had an amazing season, but with these overstatements they don‘t do him good.Ketterechts08-11-2026
- More to the point, it isn't his remaining goal.Renz08-11-2026
- lol yeahmij08-11-2026
- I know, their headlines can be so misleading. Pidcock had a great season with 5 wins. and some solid 2nds. no reason to take away from that with a fake headline.mij08-11-2026
- You can clearly see the the posture change from slightly sitting to again out of the saddle while changing of gears in the video of the sprintabstractengineer08-11-2026
- He has already beaten Pogi twice in the TDF. the achievement is over. He cannot beat Pogi now and he only has a few years left at the top. Win Giro and compete in the TDF, maximise palmares.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just looked again at the photo. Yeah I stand by that. If MS had fallen over in Brands direction I don’t even think she would have hit her. You must be a UCI race commissioner. I’ll be sure to check my sock height should I ever see you on a ride. Looks like everyone else on here sees what I see.mij08-11-2026
- I said looking at the photo it doesn’t appear she deviated. Chill out, not stating my word is the final judgement. Just commenting that based on the photo I don’t see it. And BTW the Dutch coach even said she didn’t impede her.mij08-11-2026
- Blah Blah Blah !frieders308-11-2026
- MS said she was changing gears so that caused her slight deviation. Nothing was intentional.frieders308-11-2026
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