Last spring, Tadej Pogañar was on a rampage with a cobblestone classic, but this spring he's enjoying a runaway success with Volta a Catalunya. So while the Emirates leader of the UAE team eagerly anticipates what will happen at the E3 Saxo Classic on Friday, the Slovenians say they have no regrets about choosing a radically different race program on May 4 this year. It's fun to ride here," Poganyal said when asked if he realized there was no cobblestone classic on his schedule this spring.

"But I'm excited to see who wins tomorrow.

He was 3rd in last year's edition of the E3 Saxo Classic after a long break with Wout van Aert (Visma-leasing the bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck). For the first time since Volta left San Feliu Degisors on Monday, Poganyal had a quiet stage on Thursday and finished with the main bunch behind winner Marine van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost).

However, despite winning in the back-to-back Mountain stage and gaining an advantage in 2nd place Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) when the race reached the midpoint, Poganyal was adamant and cautious about the overall chances of winning.2:27 The GC race is not over, he said, as a difficult stage looms on Saturday and a repeat of the laps of Technical Hill and Montjuic Park on Sunday.

"Tomorrow [Friday] is a decent [hilly] stage, and [Saturday] we have a very difficult stage.

"So we take care of ourselves and try to get through tomorrow and the next day. Then, in the last stage [at Montjuic], a lot can happen, so you can see it in Barcelona."

Thursday, at least, was completely easy for Poganyal, so he was even reassured that he offered the requested shout-out for another rider of the Peloton at his post-stage press conference. 

"It was a good day to relax a little in a bunch, and it was happy that we had an easier day today," he said. "It was very good - oh yes, Kenny Elissonde [Cofidis] wants everyone to know he was at my wheel today.

If Ellisonde was chasing him, in the last 3 kilometers, in any case, Poganyar's team confirmed that he also had a "designated driver" to protect him from trouble. In this case, as was the case on Monday's technical descent to San Feliu, local teammate Marc Sorrell led the leaders firmly to the 25th place on Rue Principe de Viana in Lleida.

"Marc was always around me, taking care not to take risks, surfing on wheels. It was a strong and fast finish, with a very strong [acceleration] to get out of the roundabout. So it wasn't crazy, but it was a bit busy," he concluded before asking rhetorically, "But it's not when.""

As Poganyal said, he should have a relatively easy stage through the hills of Southern Catalonia on Friday, and the climbing menu for the day includes 2 category 2 climbs. Alt de la Creu D'ARAGALL, the 2nd category 2, is much more difficult and contains about 13% of the lamps. 

However, the climb peaked at Viladecans, a town on the outskirts of Barcelona, a full 30 km from the finish, and then on Saturday, it is back to the mountain for real, giving much time for a bunch to regroup on the next fast descent.