Paula Blasi signs a three-year contract with Movistar

◆1 source

Paula Blasi, the 23-year-old winner of this year’s Amstel Gold Race and Vuelta, has moved from UAE Team L'IMAD to Movistar on a three-year contract. Her transfer had been reported since late June, despite her ongoing contract with UAE, and was later confirmed. Blasi said she needed a different path and a team that would support her ambitions.

Blasi’s season included major victories in the spring, but she finished fifth in the Tour de France after being used in a supporting role by her team and did not contend for the top places at the World Championships after an early crash and illness. Kasia Niewiadoma, another leading rival of Demi Volling, is also changing teams, moving from Canyon-SRAM to Lidl-Trek.

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Fem van Empel returns to cyclocross in Meulebeke

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Fem van Empel returned to competition at the Berencross in Meulebeke after nearly a year away from cycling because of mental-health problems. The three-time world champion finished fourth, 35 seconds behind Luxembourg’s winner Marie Schreiber. Aniek van Alphen finished second and Lucinda Brand third. Van Empel said she was happy to be back and had taken time to recover and regain enjoyment in the sport. She said she plans to ride one race each weekend for now and hopes her form will be sufficient for selection for the European Championships in Zeddam.

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Lorena Wiebes at the Tour of Chongming and Track Cycling World Championships

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Lorena Wiebes won all three stages of the Tour of Chongming in China, taking the overall victory. She beat Lara Gillespie in the second and final-stage sprints; Gillespie finished second in the final stage by half a bike length. At the Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, Wiebes retained the scratch world title, her third consecutive title in the event. Two days later, she withdrew from the omnium after being involved in a large crash during the opening scratch race, ending her attempt to defend that title.