Spanish revelation Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) spent seven hours in hospital and had to have stitches after crashing whilst reconning the National Championships TT course on Wednesday – though she seemed to be back riding as soon as possible.
Blasi posted a photo of herself to her Instagram story showing her ripped skinsuit, bandaged arm and abrasions to her leg after she had been out on her TT bike in Sabiñánigo.
"I guess this is what happens when you take a corner at over 50[kph] per hour," she captioned the photos, with a smiling emoji alongside her thumbs up from the hospital.
Despite her injuries, Blasi appeared to get right back on the bike as soon as she could.
"Finally, after 7 hours in hospital and 4 stitches, we were able to finish the recon (and use the new bike)," read her follow-up post, showing her riding – bandages included – on a red Colnago road bike.
Blasi still had a smile on her face after crashing (Image credit: Paula Blasi via Instagram)
Blasi is still set to compete in Thursday's time trial, where she will be the penultimate rider off, just before defending champion Mireia Benito (AG Insurance-Soudal).
After winning last week's Volta a Catalunya, Blasi said that the National Championships would be her next main goal, where she was a big favourite for both the TT and Sunday's road race.
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Her heavy fall may have knocked her chances in the TT, though, as she'll start with abrasions and stitches, but she will be hoping to recover more in time for Sunday's time trial.
Winner of the Vuelta Femenina and Amstel Gold Race this season, Blasi has been Spain's most revelatory rider of 2026, building on her impressive results from 2025, and pulling on her first elite national champion's jersey would cap off a stellar first half of the year for the 23-year-old.
Last year, she finished third in the elite National Championships TT and sixth in the road race, before going on to become U23 European Road Race Champion.
After the National Championships, her next main goal will be the Tour de France Femmes.
Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined Cyclingnews in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at GCN, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men's and women's Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women's cycling, and women's sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.
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