Transfer Market - La Vuelta winner Paula Blasi might have chosen her team for 2027, and it's not UAE
Cycling
Paula Blasi has, in just a few weeks, become the most coveted name on the women’s cycling market. The 23-year-old Spaniard has burst spectacularly into the world elite, turning her future into one of the main points of interest in the Women's World Tour peloton.
The results fully explain the buzz. In under a month, Blasi won the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina, triumphed at the Amstel Gold Race Ladies, finished third at Flèche Wallonne, and took fifth at Liège–Bastogne–Liège Femmes. A run of performances that has placed her among the international stars of women’s cycling despite her youth.
Her breakout quickly stirred the market. Once it emerged that she had no intention of renewing with UAE Team ADQ, several teams moved to position themselves for her signature. Although Blasi is still under contract for the 2027 season, all signs point to a future away from the Emirati setup once that deal ends or even soner.
Italian journalist Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport, one of the most plugged-in voices in the international cycling market, reported that just a week after her La Vuelta Femenina victory, five teams were interested in signing the Spaniard.
The list included UAE Team ADQ, still hoping to convince their superstar to stay, along with Movistar Team, Lidl-Trek, Uno-X Mobility, and FDJ-Suez.
Movistar Team’s presence naturally sparked excitement among Spanish fans. It’s rare for a homegrown rider with era-defining potential to hit the market. The chance to bring the new standard-bearer of Spanish women’s cycling under the telephone squad’s colours was hard to ignore.
A signing of that magnitude would also have been a major statement, both sporting and branding, for a structure that has consistently backed national leaders within its ranks.
Lidl-Trek moves in front
However, the latest reports suggest the outcome may soon be settled. It is indicated that Lidl-Trek has clearly moved to the front in the race for Blasi’s signature.
“At this moment, our sources have confirmed that, for the Spaniard Paula Blasi, Lidl-Trek is the most likely team she will join from 2027,” said the Italian journalist.
The update marks a significant shift from the landscape of just two weeks earlier. While several teams remained attentive, La Gazzetta dello Sport’s sources now place the German outfit as the leading candidate to secure one of the season’s standout revelations.
Paula Blasi should be changing teams at the end of 2026
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A market shaped by a future star
Pending any official confirmation, the sense is that the women’s market already has its central figure. At just 23, Paula Blasi has shown she can win a Grand Tour and perform at the highest level in some of the calendar’s most prestigious classics; whilst her sharp rise in the cycling world means that more evolution is still possible in a short period of time.
It is no surprise, then, that several of the world’s best teams have tried to position themselves in the bidding. However, if the most recent reports are confirmed, Lidl-Trek will have outpaced the other suitors to sign a rider destined to mark an era in the international peloton.
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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