Seventh on the fourth stage to La Molina, Domenico Pozzivo is now third place overall in the Volta a Catalunya. Ag2r sports director Didier Jannel is confident but still cautious.

"It was not a very difficult climb," he said. "The differences ath the finish are not very big. Part of the goal is achieved with the 3th place in the provisional standings but nothing is done yet. We can say that 80% of the overall standings has been decidedcbut the remaining 20% can change things. 

"On paper, the next stages are less difficult but we can see that the 10th in the general classification is only 54 seconds behind. I think Sky will want to blow the race apart and grab the jersey from leader Bart De Clercq. We have to be careful and not get trapped in echelons or on the final day with successive climbs of Montjuic in Barcelona."

After Tuesday's crash, Romain Bardet still suffers from pain in his hip and bravely completed this difficult stage.