The sixth stage of this International Cycling Union World Tour event was expected to be key in the general classification with two ascents of Monte Carpegna.

Monte Carpegna has been billed as the "Pantani climb", having been a favourite training route of the late Italian climber Marco Pantani, winner of the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 1998.

The first ascent ended the general classification hopes of Pogačar’s nearest challenger Remco Evenepoel, with the Belgian unable to maintain the pace.

A seven-rider leading group was formed prior to the second ascent, with Pogačar joined by Italy’s Damiano Caruso and Giulio Ciccone, Spain’s Mikel Landa and Pello Bilbao, Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, and Australia’s Jai Hindley.

Landa was the first to accelerate on the climb, before Pogačar launched a solo attack to break clear with 16 kilometres remaining of the stage.

The two-time Tour de France champion, riding for UAE Team Emirates, pulled clear and avoided crashing in the cold conditions on the descent to clinch the stage victory in a time of 5 hours 28min 57sec.

Pogačar, winner of Strade Bianche solo last week, finished with a 63 seconds cushion over Vingegaard and Landa on the stage.

"I never think I’m unbeatable, even when I go clear, I always think someone can come back, catch me and attack," Pogačar, who looks poised to win Tirreno-Adriatico for a second successive year, said.

"I always take care, I never underestimate anybody.

"I try to focus on myself but I never know how it will finish."

Pogačar heads into the final stage of the race with a 1min 52se advantage over Team Jumbo–Visma rider Vingegaard, who has risen to second place in the standings.

Bahrain Victorious' Landa completes the top three at 2:33 down, 11 seconds clear of fourth placed Richie Porte, Australia's  Ineos Grenadiers rider.

Evenepoel, who began the day second, has dropped to 11th place and the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team rider is now more than four minutes off the lead going into tomorrow's concluding stage, a 159km stage in San Benedetto del Tronto.