"They wouldn't let me race with the boys because I beat them and the parents complained" - Is Paula Ostiz the future of Spanish cycling?

At 18 years of age, Paula Ostiz from Pamplona, is one of the most promising young riders in Spanish and world cycling. In 2025 she has signed a historic season by winning four medals between the European Championships and the World Junior Championships: gold in the road and time trial at the European Championships, and gold in the road and silver in the World Time Trial. In 2026, the Spaniard will make the jump to Movistar Team, the team with which she will make her debut in the professional World Tour peloton.

In a very interesting interview with Mundo Deportivo, the woman of the moment in Spanish cycling talks about her beginnings, her challenges, what she expects in the WorldTour and her references.

"I would tell you an 18-year-old with a lot of ambition on the bike and who likes to enjoy the road. First my brothers, Toni and Raúl, started, and my father used to watch Miguel Indurain when he was young. He signed my brothers up for cycling and from the age of four or five I would go to see them, until when I was six they signed me up and I grew up."

"I remember when I was six years old I told my parents that the day they signed me up it would be to win, that I wasn't there to waste time. I've always said since I was little that I wanted to win everything, although I know that you have to go step by step and now that I'm going to make the jump to the World Tour it's another world."

Her talent in the sport then became apparent from a young age, as already in the youth categories she began to show unusual abilities on the bike, not as much a product of training but of her pure genetics.

"I don't remember where my first race was, but I started in youth races and I was already beating the boys. I was growing up in youth races, until they wouldn't let me race with the boys because I was beating them and there were parents who complained about a girl beating their sons. I went on to race with girls and it got boring."

This year she has gained international notoriety with her victories all throughout the year as a second-year junior (last year she had already been crowned European time trial champion) but most notably her triumph at the Kigali World Championships, followed by both European titles in her categories, displaying a capacity still above her peers.

"These are goals that I set for myself this year and I have achieved them thanks to the work done with the coach and, in the end, it has been reflected in the results. It was an immense joy to achieve these two victories because for me it is super important to have a person by my side always, who supports me and helps me both in good times and bad, and that person is Imanol Etxarri, thanks to him I have achieved these great goals."

Despite being 18 years old still, a move to the World Tour was inevitable next season as the top teams all made the effort to sign her. Movistar got the big deal, all the way until 2028 where she will make her Women's World Tour debut.

"At the moment, I don't have anything (in terms of schedule, ed.), I guess I'll do the classics and then I'll see how I go little by little [...] I wanted to sign for Movistar. UAE wasn't what it is now and I preferred to be on the home team and grow here."

"I don't know, I have to find out. Next season when I move to WorldTour we'll see where I can go better, and I know that on the long mountain climbs I have to improve."

A Grand Tour contender in the future potentially? "Yes, I see myself. I look good for the Giro, Tour or Vuelta, but it's too early. In every race I enjoy myself, the effort, the teammates and the team. You have to have a good time, otherwise it sucks."

From both men's and women's peloton, Ostiz has gathered idols and people that have inspired him, including some of her nations' best. "Since I was a little girl I've been a big fan of Alejandro Valverde. That he was by my side the day I won the World Championships 8in 2018] was incredible. I've always liked him because of his ambition and because he never gave up. He always wanted to win a World Championships and he did it at 38 years old."

"I'll take Pogacar, I like him a lot, Evenepoel, and from the girls I'll take Vollering, Reusser, Kopecky and Markus."