Paula Blasi set to headline Movistar rebuild with blockbuster three-year move

Paula Blasi is set to make one of the biggest moves of the women's cycling transfer market, with the 23-year-old Spaniard reportedly agreeing a three-year deal with Movistar.

The agreement has been reached after several weeks of negotiations, with sources close to the rider indicating that the move will be officially announced next week during the World Championships in Montréal. El Periódico has reported that the transfer was completed through a €100,000 release clause.

Blasi's rise has accelerated dramatically in 2026. After finishing third overall at the Santos Tour Down Under Women, she went on to win the Vuelta and establish herself among the leading riders in the peloton.

This season she has also won Amstel Gold Race, Durango Durango Emakumeen Saria, Tour Féminin des Pyrénées and Volta a Catalunya Femenina. Blasi currently sits second in the world rankings, just behind Demi Vollering, and will line up for Spain in the World Championship road race on September 26 as one of the country's medal contenders.

The relationship between Blasi and Movistar reportedly predates her Vuelta triumph. Initial contacts were made in January during the Tour Down Under, while negotiations continued as her status within the peloton changed. Lidl-Trek were also involved in the process, with Blasi having signed a pre-contract with the American team before that agreement ultimately fell through.

Her move to Movistar is expected to reshape the team's women's structure. The reported agreement is worth around €500,000 per season, which would put Blasi among the highest-paid riders in the women's peloton.

Movistar has already announced the arrival of Mireia Benito, the Spanish road race and time trial champion, while Francesc Escolà is set to join as a coach. Aída Nuño will also take on a sports director role, becoming the first woman to hold that position within the structure led by Eusebio Unzué.

The intention is to build the team's sporting ambitions around Blasi from 2027. The spring Classics, the Volta and particularly the Tour de France are expected to become central targets, with the Catalan taking on the role of principal leader.

She will also have experienced support inside the squad. Marlen Reusser, one of Movistar's established leaders, is reported to have welcomed Blasi's arrival and discussed the possibility of coordinating their calendars and objectives, particularly around the Tour.

The transfer would represent another significant step in Blasi's rapid progression. Her Vuelta victory has transformed her from a promising young rider into a Grand Tour winner, and Movistar now appears prepared to build a substantial part of its women's project around that breakthrough.

The timing of the announcement would also give Movistar a major opportunity to present its new signing on one of cycling's biggest stages. The team is reportedly planning to capitalize on the momentum surrounding Enric Mas's Vuelta victory by presenting the two Spanish Grand Tour winners together, linking its men's and women's projects.

For Blasi, the immediate focus remains on Montréal. She will first compete for Spain at the World Championships before turning her attention to the next stage of her career. It is still unclear whether she will ride in October after the World Championships are over, but it appears unlikely. If not, that means she said goodbye to UAE with a second place at the Pointe du Raz Ladies Classic at the beginning of September.

Her first major objective with Movistar will then be defending the Vuelta title she won in 2026. The race is scheduled to move to September in 2027, taking place one week after the men's Vuelta and creating a different calendar setting for the reigning champion.