Two key mountain stages in the Catalunya Volta are about to disappear from the race's rearview mirror, but on Friday's fifth stage, Joan Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) pushed Nairo Quintana (Alcare Sumsic) from the lead by just one second and the overall The battle showed no sign of abating.

Almeida, who had finished in the same time as his Colombian rival, overtook Quintana in the intermediate sprint of stage 2 to take third place.

Quintana initially questioned Almeida's third place finish. However, after speaking with race officials at the finish, Arkea Samsic quickly admitted that Almeida was in a better position than the leader.

"As I said before the stage, it wasn't easy to get the same time as Almeida.

"I have very little experience in sprints, but I'm still in second place overall in the end and tomorrow [Saturday] they will work, so I can go back on the offensive. [Arkea Samsic's sporting director, Yvon LeDonoy, added: "We've got a good lead on him. 'He leads by one second and there are two more stages left. There are still two stages to go.

While 2022 has been a remarkable success for Arkea-Samsic, the 17-year-old French Pro Conti team had never held a lead in a WorldTour stage race until Thursday. But they now have two chances to regain it.

Saturday's stage has 3,000 meters of climbing and includes the Col de les Reveres Moussala, a first-class mountain. The toughest climb is early on, but the second category, the Teixeta Pass with 30km to go, could be the catalyst for the race.

Sunday's Montjuïc Park circuit is a familiar course, with short, steep climbs on each circuit, but the technical, winding terrain is known to be difficult for the GC teams to control.

"We have two very hard days ahead of us. Anything can happen," Quintana, who has already won the overall at the 2016 Volta a Catalunya, insisted on Friday night.

"I'm focused on my pre-race goal of getting on the podium in Barcelona.