Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates) came to the Vuelta a España with no obligations. A little more than a week after Madrid, there seems to be little limit to what the 20-year-old can achieve, except for the restrictions imposed by race leader and compatriot Primoš Roglic (Jumbo Visma).

On Friday's 13th stage, the Slovenian duo broke away from the pack of favorites to win with 3km remaining on the Los Machucos climb.

Pogachar was the only one able to match the brutal rhythm of Mayo Rojo's Rogetu and pulled away from his podium rivals on the climb. Pogachar took the stage win and moved into third place overall.

"I can't believe I won my second stage in my first Grand Tour. I have no words to express how happy I am."

The prodigious success of the young talent is the overarching story line in this year's peloton, and who said the cycling season doesn't have a story?

This time last year, Pogachar had just won the Tour de Lavenir. He won the Algarve Volta and the Tour of California overall, was sixth in the Tour of the Basque Country, fourth in the Tour of Slovenia, and as of Friday had won the two toughest mountain stages of the Vuelta a España.

In the overall standings, Pogachar is currently in third place, 3:01 behind Roglic but only 36 seconds behind world champion Alejandro Valverde (Movistar). He also took the white jersey from Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) and distanced himself from Nairo Quintana (Movistar), who dropped it to win stage 9 in the Cortal d'Encampment.

"It's my first Grand Tour, so I don't know how I will react in the third week," said Pogachar, who will not turn 21 until six days after the Vuelta ends. The first two weeks were perfect for me. I want to be next to Primoz in Madrid. I think it is possible. I will do my best and I hope I don't have a bad day.

"I came here without any obligations. From now on there will be a bit of pressure, but I don't think I need to prove anything more. I want to wear the white jersey in Madrid and I want to finish in the top five like I did today.

But while a podium finish in Madrid is a goal for Pogachar, he downplayed the notion that the honor of being Slovenia's first Grand Tour champion might deny the seemingly untouchable Roglic.

The two hit it off in Los Machucos on Friday, but it remains to be seen how their relationship will develop, starting with a mountaintop finish in Santuario del Acebo on Sunday.

"I think I have two different races with Roglic," Pogachar said. "He wants to win the overall and I want to finish as high up as possible. So far, I have not been a threat to him. Today I was a little bit on his side, but you never know. In Madrid we will fight more."

"I've known Primoz for a couple of years. Since I turned pro, he and I have a good relationship and we know each other. He's a good guy, a good competitor, and I respect him."

In the final stages, Pogachar used the wireless earpiece of UAE Team Emirates general manager Matosin Joxen Fernandez to lead Juan Jose Cobo to the Vuelta championship in 2011.

Matoxin told reporters atop Los Machucos that Pogachar's only goal was a stage win, but his goal will certainly be revised upward from here.

"He was my only connection on the climb. I wasn't looking behind me. When he told me no one else could follow, that was the moment to push." When it went clear, he cheered me on to go full throttle to win."