Geraint Thomas is set for a decisive final two days on the Tirreno-Adriatico.
The 34-year-old finished safely in the main pack on stage six which was won in a sprint finish by Belgium’s Tim Merlier.
Thomas remained third overall – 39 seconds behind race leader Simon Yates and 26 secs adrift of second placed Rafa Majka.
Sunday’s stage will be a lumpy one – an 181km stage from Pieve Torina to a tough, hilly circuit around Loreto with an uphill kick to the finish.
There will then be a final 10.1 km time trial in an out and back route around San Benedetto del Tronto where Thomas will be favourite for victory.
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But it will depend on if he can overturn any disadvantage he will take into the final stage from Sunday’s mountain test.
I’m pretty happy with where I am, and it shows the work that I’ve been doing and that it’s been worth it. It’s encouraging and I think that this race will do me the world of good.”
Thomas is using the race between the seas as a test for next month’s Giro d’Italia and he looks to have returned to form ahead of his bid for a second Grand Tour crown.
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Yates took the race lead on Friday’s stage five which he won by 35 seconds from Thomas.
“Today was quite easy I think, there wasn’t much fight for the breakaway and the sprint teams took it up straight away so was an easy day,” said Yates, the 2018 Vuelta a Espana champ, after stage six.
“I think tomorrow [stage seven] will be very hard, very difficult to control so we will try and defend as best we can.
“I can’t say I’ve ever looked forward to a time trial before but I’ll give it a good crack.”