'I turned down a much bigger contract so I could race where I wanted' – Paula Blasi officially signs for Movistar after drawn-out exit from UAE Team L'IMAD

Reigning Vuelta Femenina champion Paula Blasi has signed for Movistar for 2027, and the next three seasons, the Spanish Women’s WorldTour team confirmed on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old announced back in September that she would be leaving UAE Team L’IMAD a year earlier than contracted, and that she had signed for a new team in 2027, but while it was widely reported that it would be Movistar, that wasn’t confirmed until now.

The Spanish team have reportedly paid a hefty fee to buy her out of her contract with the Emirati squad, and secure her future.

Scorching a rapid path to becoming one of the best riders in the world, Blasi took massive victories at the Vuelta and Amstel Gold Race in just her first full season as a pro this year, also finishing fifth overall on debut at the Tour de France Femmes, and taking top-five finishes at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Flèche Wallonne, and the Tour Down Under.

“I’m at a point in my sporting career where I needed to take a different step and look for a team that believed in me, supported my goals and was as ambitious as I am,” said Blasi.

“I’ll be able to grow, share leadership responsibilities and learn from Marlen [Reusser], which will be important for my development as an athlete. And on top of that, it’s my home team. It makes me even prouder to wear the jersey.”

Blasi’s exit from UAE Team L’IMAD has been a long and complex one, with plenty of speculation and drama surrounding the move which is one of the most significant transfers in the women’s peloton this year.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, while Blasi is set to earn around €600,000 a year, she turned down significantly more money at UAE so that she could ride for Movistar, with an €85,000 buy-out clause reportedly being paid so she could exit early.

Marca also explained why there was such a delay despite signing her new deal before the Worlds in September. This was due to the wait for approval from the UCI, after the Spanish team's boss Unzué and her agent Alex Carera – who also represents Tadej Pogačar – convinced her that the project at Movistar was the right one, having already started to look elsewhere.

"I turned down a much bigger contract so I could race where I wanted," Blasi told Marca. "It’s no secret that UAE is one of the teams with the most money. If you turn it down, you’re surely turning down one of the biggest offers you could receive.

"I want to be in line with what’s going on and earn what I think I’m worth. But for me, it was more important to think about my sporting future. I didn’t want to earn a huge amount for three years and end up hanging up my bike because I couldn’t take it anymore. My priority was to go somewhere where I can sleep peacefully and my only goal is to train."

A homegrown star joins Movistar

Movistar described the arrival of Blasi as a further strengthening of the team's "commitment to women's cycling and to building a project capable of uniting the present and the future," adding her talent to the likes of established leaders Marlen Reusser and Liane Lippert, and rising young stars like Cat Ferguson, Paula Ostiz, and Alejandra Neira.

"We're extremely excited to finally announce Paula's arrival to our team for the next three seasons," said team boss Sebastián Unzué.

"Her signing represents another step forward in quality, allowing us to compete for the most important races on the calendar. I want to thank Paula for her trust and for believing in this project. We can't wait to start working together. Welcome, Paula!"

Blasi only turned professional in May 2025, making a mid-season jump from UAE's development team up to the WorldTour squad, where she impressed immediately, winning a stage and the best young rider classification at the WorldTour-level Tour de Romandie, and finishing sixth at the Tour de l'Avenir – but he improvement in 2026 has been nothing short of remarkable.

Her victory at the Vuelta – a historic first for Spain in the women's race, and marking the arrival of a new superstar – stemmed from two stunning second-place finishes to Les Praeres and the iconic Alto de l'Angliru, landing her the red jersey ahead of Anna van der Breggen.

The hype and transfer rumours followed Blasi everywhere for the rest of the season, with the confirmation having to wait until October that it was Movistar who had secured the most sure-fire prospect in the women's peloton, who looks set to lead the ongoing and next generation of stars.

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