Paula Blasi threatens to upend UAE's leadership plans at the Tour de France Femmes - Stage 4 time trial to decide hierarchy
Cycling
The fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes, a demanding individual time trial, promises to be more than a fight for the yellow jersey. It could also become the turning point that defines the hierarchy within UAE Team L'IMAD, where the situation of the Spaniard Paula Blasi remains one of the race’s main talking points.
During stage three, Blasi endured a difficult spell when she was dropped from the favorites’ group and rode for several kilometres about 20 seconds behind the main GC contenders. She recovered, though, made it back to the front group, and finished alongside her two teammates who are also targeting the overall.
Now all eyes turn to the time trial. On paper, Blasi could post better times than direct rivals such as Elisa Longo Borghini and Dominika Włodarczyk. If that happens, the team may face a significant sporting dilemma after insisting for weeks that it has two leaders for the general classification and that Blasi was coming to the Tour primarily to gain experience.
Sports director Cherie Pridham made it clear the road will decide when asked about the Spaniard’s role. “Tomorrow [meaning today, Ed.], of course, the time trial will really tell us where we stand,” she said at the finish.
Paula Blasi
UAE’s leaders
Asked how many leaders the team currently has for the overall, Pridham stuck to the same line, making clear that Elisa Longo Borghini is very much in the frame. “We have two GC riders.
It has always been shared leadership and that remains the case. We will assess after the time trial and then things will be clearer. I’ve said it from the start: we’ll let the road do the talking,” she stated.
The race against the clock will not only decide who gains momentum in the fight for the Tour de France, but also whether Paula Blasi is ready to challenge the leadership of a rider with the pedigree and palmarès of Elisa Longo Borghini.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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