Paula Blasi, Marion Bunel, and Petra Stiasny are leading the way as the future of women’s cycling.
Cor Vos
The finale of La Vuelta Femenina stage 6 pointed to a return to the top step for Anna van der Breggen, one of the most decorated stage racers in the women’s peloton. The story would have been an incredible one: Van der Breggen’s first big win post-retirement. On stage 4 of the same race last year, the 36-year-old Dutch star took her first WorldTour win since retiring at the end of 2021, but ultimately she finished the race third overall. This year: the real comeback. A ride that put her on the list as a Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift contender come August.
But on L’Angliru, a day after Van der Breggen took the red jersey, the day would not belong to SD Worx-Protime’s leader, but instead go to the new generation.
Blasi wins La Vuelta, Stiasny grabs stage 7 on the slopes of L’Angliru
On the punishing slopes of the famous climb, UAE Team ADQ’s Paula Blasi claimed the red jersey off the shoulders of Anna van der Breggen, while Petra Stiasny took stage victory.
Paula Blasi stole the show with an incredible ride that earned her the red jersey, the first Spanish rider to even finish on the podium of the women’s Vuelta. Petra Stiasny won hearts not only with her incredible ascent of the brutal climb, but also with her smile-inducing post-race interview. Marion Bunel put early pressure on the GC favorites and split the race apart. Valentina Cavallar quietly shadowed her team leader, Van der Breggen, to a sixth-place finish on L’Angliru, in her third year racing bikes.
What started as a comeback story for one of the most decorated veterans in the peloton ended as a day for the youngsters.
Stiasny used to be a runner, but found cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic. While injured, the Swiss athlete took to swimming, but when the pandemic closed the pool, it was the bike that got her through. Her first UCI-ranked race was the Swiss road nationals in 2020, where she finished 11th. A year later, she had signed with the Continental Cogeas-Mettler team and was racing the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It was an abrupt introduction to WorldTour racing.
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