Paula Blasi’s debut at the elite World Championships in Montreal ended prematurely when a multi-rider crash brought down approximately 15 competitors with more than 90 kilometers remaining in the race, according to reporting from AS. The 23-year-old Spanish rider, who entered the elite road race as the designated leader of the Spanish national selection, managed to remount and reach the race’s box area before stepping off her bicycle due to elbow injuries and an insurmountable time deficit.
Montreal Crash Halts Blasi’s Elite Debut
Chaos on the Road and Andersson Hospitalized
The incident occurred in the kilometers leading up to the finishing circuit, where an initial tangle in the peloton triggered a major pileup. The crash seriously affected Swedish rider Caroline Andersson, who remained motionless on the asphalt before emergency medical personnel transferred her to an ambulance wearing a neck brace, as detailed by AS. Blasi stood near the crash site showing visible signs of discomfort. Although she eventually climbed back onto her bike, the gap to the main bunch proved too large to bridge, and she officially withdrew at the first passage across the finish line.
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A Night of Illness Before the Start
Compounding the physical toll of the crash, the Spanish delegation dealt with health complications ahead of the start. Speaking to Eurosport before the race began, Blasi revealed that she had suffered through a difficult night due to a circulating virus. “Ayer no tuve buena noche. Hay algún virus y no me encuentro del todo bien. Pero esto es parte del ciclismo. Tengo que salir y dar la cara,” Blasi told Eurosport broadcasters regarding her physical condition.
Breakout Season Interrupted by Misfortune
Prior to the race-ending pileup, Blasi had already survived an earlier minor collision in the pack that left her uninjured. Her early exit from Montreal brings an abrupt halt to what had otherwise been a breakout campaign on the international calendar, highlighted by notable performances at the Amstel Gold Race, La Fleche Wallonne, La Vuelta, and a fifth-place finish in her first Tour Femenino. Reports indicate she is set to join Movistar for the upcoming season.
Quick Turnaround Toward Slovenia
With the World Championships behind her, Blasi’s attention shifts toward the upcoming European Championships scheduled to take place in Slovenia in one week.
