Elisa Longo Borghini Slams #FreeBlasi Narrative Rocking Tour de France Femmes

Elisa Longo Borghini hit back at journalists Tuesday and accused the media of exaggerating reports of tension between UAE Team L’Amid leaders and Spanish sensation Paula Blasi at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

One of the biggest storylines of this year’s Tour de France Femmes has centered on whether Blasi, Spain’s breakout Vuelta winner, is being held back by team orders.

The debate has even spawned a #FreeBlasi hashtag across social media.

Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s time trial in comments posted to YouTube by journalist Felix Mattis, Longo Borghini did not hold back.

“I just want to say that you guys are making it up so big, bigger than it is,” she told reporters. “We are fine.”

The Italian said coverage of the story has unfairly portrayed UAE as a divided team.

“It’s not nice to scroll on Instagram and to see all those stupid articles that you are writing, saying that we don’t have a nice atmosphere and picturing us like we are a shit team,” she said.

Longo Borghini hits back at criticism

Longo Borghini’s blunt comments are the latest twist in one of the biggest storylines of this year’s Tour.

Spanish media first picked up the story after UAE officials told Blasi that she would race her first Tour primarily to learn and support GC leaders Longo Borghini and Dominika Włodarczyk.

Blasi revealed the team tactic in early media interviews, but the story has quickly taken on a life of its own across cycling media and in social media comment sections.

Longo Borghini accused journalists of overblowing the story.

“For sure she’s not happy coming to the dinner table, knowing that there are those articles going around,” the Italian said. “So pay attention also to the person sometimes.”

The #FreeBlasi debate explodes

It’s easy to understand why some are questioning the team’s tactics.

Blasi, 23, is racing her first Tour de France Femmes and has admitted that she sometimes struggles with positioning inside the bunch.

But the Spanish climber has quietly ridden herself into the top 10 as the race heads toward the race-breaking mountains, including the highly anticipated Mont Ventoux stage on Friday.

Blasi told Velo’s Andy McGrath at the start of the Tour that she’s fine with the team dynamic.

“No, no, I’m actually really happy. The team has a clear mindset and of course, you need to respect that,” she told Velo. “We all did our preparation and for sure, then [each rider’s training] numbers are there and I truly believe in the race tactics we have as a team.”

The Spaniard entered Wednesday’s fifth stage sitting seventh overall at 1:12 and wearing the white jersey as best young rider.

Longo Borghini is fifth at 1:03 back, just nine seconds ahead of her younger teammate.

Włodarczyk, the team’s other protected GC rider, is 11th at 1:59 back.

Of course, the legs decide any race, and UAE’s tactics will evolve as the race unfolds.

UAE sport director Cherie Pridham has also insisted the team’s strategy has been clear from the start.

“She’s here to learn. She has her strengths, we’re there to support her, of course,” she told Velo. “But from the beginning of the year, our strategy was always to support Dommy and Elisa.”

Transfer rumors fuel speculation

The scrutiny has intensified due to expectations that Blasi will leave UAE at the end of the season despite being under contract through 2027.

Despite reports she is heading to Spain’s Team Movistar, her agent, Alex Carera, told Velo last month that no deal had been finalized.

Longo Borghini, 34, also has a contract with the UAE-backed team through 2027.

Blasi, a former middle-distance runner, only started racing full-time on the road in 2024, when a season highlight was fourth overall at the Tour de l’Avenir.

Last year, she made the jump to UAE’s WorldTour team with another string of impressive results, including the U23 European road title.

She broke out in 2026, winning the Amstel Gold Race and beating back pre-race favorites like Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Anna van der Breggen to win the Vuelta a España Femenina.

Many assumed she would have GC freedom to chase the final podium and perhaps even more.

Mechanical costs Longo Borghini time

Longo Borghini also had problems in Tuesday’s decisive time trial that cost her momentum and precious seconds.

She said she dropped her chain and was forced her to swap bikes with about two kilometers to go.

“It’s a shame because the performance was really good, but that’s cycling,” she said on the team’s website. “You have to accept it and keep looking ahead. The Tour de France Femmes has only just begun and the road to Nice is still very long.”

The Italian — a two-time Giro d’Italia Women champion — is hoping to stay on track in the 2026 Tour.

She abandoned in 2023 and 2025, did not race in 2024 due to a training crash, and finished sixth in 2022.

As the Tour heads toward Mont Ventoux, the legs will ultimately decide who leads UAE into Nice.