Paula Blasi: In less than 1,000 days from runner to one of the best cyclists in the world.

From a middle-distance athlete running the 800 meters in 2:11.53 to winning the Vuelta a España, one of the biggest races on the Women’s WorldTour calendar: Paula Blasi’s journey into cycling is remarkable. She is not the first runner to make a successful transition to another sport, but the speed of her path does stand out. And she has never fully said goodbye to running, still going out once or twice per week. “Running will always be part of my lifestyle.”

Many runners eventually end up riding bikes, most often because of injuries. Some perform well in the discipline as well. However, success is not guaranteed. Although running and cycling overlap in terms of aerobic and cardiovascular fitness, the muscle use and loading patterns for joints and tendons are quite different.

For many runners, it takes years to reach a similar level in cycling. Blasi, however, surprised both the running and cycling communities with her rapid development: in less than 1,000 days, she went from running five kilometres in just over 17 minutes to winning the Vuelta a España, a cycling race at the highest professional level.

It was not just what she did, but also how she did it that made an impact on many. The Esplugues de Llobregat-born athlete dropped the competition on the Alto de l’Angliru, considered the hardest climb in European road cycling. “I surprised myself there too,” Blasi, who one week later also won the Durango race, said. “For the Vuelta, I was aiming for a podium, but the victory did surprise me. But I have been working very hard for two years.”

Before the fifth stage of that Vuelta, a flat and rather easy stage, Blasi even went for a run in the morning before the start. “To clear my mind and do some activation,” she says. “Running still makes me remember who I am and is still very much part of my life. I always say: I am a cyclist, but I will always be an athlete too. It is not for training, but part of my lifestyle. It is to enjoy sport in another way.”

Injury

Until the end of February 2024, Blasi was actually still combining running and cycling, with the Spanish Duathlon Championships as her main target that season. “I had just become Catalan champion in this discipline, as well as in triathlon, and I was training for the Spanish national title as well.”

She then joined the Catalan club Massi–Baix Ter, Blasi recalls about the start of a cycling career that quickly accelerated. The team, where Catalan Olympian Mireia Benito also began her professional path, allowed Blasi to compete in national-level races. Winning the Catalan road and time trial championships, and later the Spanish national time trial championships in June 2024, earned her an invitation from the Spanish national team to race the Tour de l’Avenir, a French U23 race considered the most important event for riders in that age group.

Blasi will race the Tour de France avec Zwift this year. In preparation for the biggest race of the year, she will spend nearly a month at altitude at the Picmaia Hotel. The hotel in Pas de la Casa is a favourite among athletes for altitude training camps, especially in summer. It is focused on sportspeople, has all the necessary facilities, and understands the nutritional demands of high performance athletes.

There in France, and throughout the rest of the season, the 23-year old, who studied at INEFC in Barcelona, continued to impress the cycling world: third on the queen stage of the Tour de l’Avenir, fourth in the general classification, and later a top-10 finish at the World Championships in Switzerland. A professional contract (UAE Team ADQ signed her) was the logical next step.

“It is surprising how fast everything went, but I did have expectations and hopes. The last two years I have developed a lot, so I trusted that it was only a matter of time before I reached this level.”

Blasi, who still runs once or twice per week, continues: “What surprises me is my consistency and that I feel strong in every race. My goals were to get one big win this season, but it turned out to be several ones.”

“I am impressed with myself. In these two years I learned to move better through the peloton, particularly by learning from my experienced teammates. From them I am also learning how to suffer and how to mentally be stronger.”

Cursa dels Nassos

Blasi believes her background in sport, and running in particular, helped her perform so well on the bike. “Obviously, cycling was not completely new. Through running and duathlon, I already had a strong physical base, both aerobically and cardiovascularly.”

That has helped her achieve a personal best in her favourite running race last December, which she is hoping to improve again this December.

“Every year I do the ten kilometres of Cursa dels Nassos with the goal of improving my time. Last year I ran 34:56 in the 10 km, 3:27 pace per km. I like to train for it in the winter, and I am curious what I can do this December as well.”