PARIS - Two-time former Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar climbed to the overall lead of Paris-Nice after winning Wednesday's fourth stage.
Slovenian Pogacar pipped Frenchman David Gaudu by a second and Swiss rider Gino Maeder who was third 34 seconds behind in overcast conditions in central France.
UAE Team Emirates' Pogacar, 23, overtook Magnus Cort Nielsen in the general classification to take the yellow jersey of the so called 'Race to the Sun' which ends on Sunday on the Cote d'Azur in Nice.
Last year's Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard was dropped by Pogacar on the final climb up to ski resort La Loge des Gardes at 1,077 altitude and the Dane now sits 44 seconds behind in third overall.
Groupama-FDJ's Gaudu is sandwiched between Pogacar and Vingegaard, six seconds behind the 2020 and 2021 Tour champion.
Thursday's fifth stage is a 212.5km ride from Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise to Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux with four testing climbs as the peloton heads to the foothills of the Alps.