Cat Ferguson claimed her first win of the 2025 season, and third pro win, by sprinting to the top step at the 2025 Navarra Women’s Elite Classic. The 19-year-old from Great Britain held off Soraya Paladin and Ruth Edwards in a fast and messy uphill finish, sealing a breakthrough result in Movistar colours on home soil for the team.
Rain, hail and relentless attacks marked the day, but nothing stuck until the final, where over two dozen riders contested the sprint in Pamplona. Despite opening her effort early, Ferguson couldn’t be passed, celebrating with daylight between herself and the rest of the bunch. It caps off a sharp start to the year for the teenager, who had already stood on the podium at Trofeo Alfredo Binda.
The race opened under threatening skies and featured nine punchy climbs across 134.4km. The early phase was aggressive but tightly controlled, with the peloton preventing any moves from gaining real ground. On the Muro de Artajona with 58km to go, the pace briefly split the bunch, but it all came back together on flatter terrain.
The first proper break came around the 50km mark when Eukene Larrarte of Massi-Baix Ter and Nicole Steinmetz of Eneicat-CM Team opened a gap. Their escape lasted roughly 25km before they were brought back on the long drag to Tirapu, just as rain and hail intensified. Liv AlUla Jayco tried to shape the race there, with Ana Trevisi and Monica Trinca Colonel driving the pace.
Photo Credit: CampelonesTrinca Colonel later attacked with Paula Patiño and Antonia Niedermaier over the penultimate climb, but Lidl-Trek and UAE Team ADQ quickly neutralised the danger. From there, repeated surges came and went, but the front group stayed intact for the finish.
Without any lead-out trains in place, the final dash to the line became a free-for-all. Ferguson launched early and committed fully, a move that paid off handsomely.
Soraya Paladin took her best result of the 2025 season with second place for Canyon SRAM zondacrypto. Ruth Edwards finished third and helped secure the team classification for Human Powered Health, backed by Giada Borghesi in fifth and Barbara Malcotti in 17th. Edwards described the performance as particularly rewarding after a difficult spring. “I was unsure of how I’d race today after the crash at Strade took me out for a while,” she said. “Barbara could see me struggling on a climb, and she told me I could do this, and that helped motivate me in that moment to get me over the climb.”
Borghesi echoed that spirit. “It was very nice to be on the podium together and to take the prize for the first team today in Navarra,” she said. “Even more satisfying because it was a hard race and we were there.” The effort came despite an early crash that forced Yurani Blanco out of the race.
2025 Navarra Elite Classics result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
