Born in Bern, Switzerland, Blanco began his professional career in 2000 with the Portuguese team Paredes Rota dos Móveis–Tintas VIP.

His first success was in 2003, when he won a stage of the GP CTT Correios de Portugal, racing with Porta da Ravessa–Tavira.

After winning the Volta a Portugal in 2006, he joined a Portuguese team, Duja–Tavira.

In 2008 he would grab a second win in the Volta a Portugal, the main cycling competition in Portugal, and in 2009 after he placed second, first place Nuno Ribeiro was disqualified after he tested positive for CERA,[2] therefore making Blanco the winner of the 2009 Volta a Portugal as well.

Then in 2012 he would grab another stage win and secure his fifth Volta a Portugal title eclipsing Marco Chagas, who dominated the race in the mid 1980s, to give him more wins in this race than any rider in its long history.