By Gareth James
Geraint Thomas is poised for a podium finish at the Volta a Catalunya in Spain on Sunday.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider goes into the final stage of the seven day race in third place.
Thomas is 49 seconds behind team-mate Adam Yates and just four secs behind another fellow Ineos rider Richie Porte.
All three finished safely in the main pack on Saturday’s sixth stage, clocking the same time as stage winner Peter Sagan.
The Slovak out sprinter his rivals in the drag up to Mataro to claim his first win of 2021.
This will be Thomas’s best result of the season as he builds towards June’s Tour de France where he will be aiming to regain the Yellow Jersey he won in 2018.
The 34-year-old was 49th at the Etoile de Besseges and 26th at the Tour du Var in February.
Earlier this month he finished 24th at Tirenno-Adriatico in Italy, taking 11th spot on the final stage time trial.
Stevie Williams goes into the final stage lying 93rd, 57 minutes 10 secs adrift, with Ineos support rider Luke Rowe 139th (1:32.05)
Sunday’s final stage stages and finishes in Barcelona.
Volta a Catalunya 2021, stage six: Tarragona to Mataró (193.8km)
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 4-23-18
2. Daryl Impey (RSA) Israel Start-Up Nation, at same time
3. Juan Sebastián Molano (Col) UAE Team Emirates
4. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA) Qhubeka-ASSOS
5. Alexander Kamp (Den) Trek-Segafredo
6. Clément Venturini (Fra) Ag2r Citroën
7. Max Kanter (Ger) DSM
8. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step
9. Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education – Nippo
10. Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Lotto-Soudal, all at same time
General classification after stage six
1. Adam Yates (GB) Ineos Grenadiers, in 23-08-45
2. Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers, at 45 seconds
3. Geraint Thomas (GB) Ineos Grenadiers, at 49s
4. Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Movistar Team, at 1-03
5. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe, at the same time
6. Esteban Chaves (Col) Team BikeExchange, at 1-04
7. João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck – Quick-Step, at 1-07
8. Hugh Carthy (GB) EF Education-Nippo, at 1-20
9. Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Jumbo-Visma, at 1-29
10. Simon Yates (GB) Team BikeExchange, at 1-32