Brajkovic holds off Contador

Risoul - Slovenian Janez Brajkovic confidently countered a series of attacks from Tour de France champion Alberto Contador to keep the race leader's yellow jersey at the Dauphine Criterium on Thursday.

Frenchman Nicolas Vogondy of the Bbox-Bouygues team belied his reputation as a non-climber to claim a well-deserved stage win on what was the first day of four in the French Alps.

With 1.7km to race in the 12.8km climb to Risoul ski station, Vogondy timed a late attack to perfection as Brajkovic contented himself with keeping close tabs on Contador in the Frenchman's wake.

Brajkovic, who is bidding for a place in RadioShack's Tour de France team, took possession of the yellow jersey after a stunning time trial ride over 49km on Wednesday.

He still leads Contador, who is in third place, just behind American Tejay Van Garderen, by 1min 41sec.

Britain's David Millar, of Garmin-Transitions, started the day only 36sec behind Brajkovic but the big Scot failed to keep up when the pace rose on the climb to Risoul and dropped from second to fourth overall at 1:56.

Friday's fifth stage is a 143.5km ride from Serre-Chevalier to Grenoble and kicks off with a 15.5km climb to the summit of the Col du Lautaret, with the 17.5km climb over Chamrousse coming later in the stage.

Results the fourth stage:

1. Nicolas Vogondy, France, BBox Bouygues Telecom, 6 hours, 3 minutes, 25 seconds.
2. Romain Sicard, France, Euskaltel, 12 seconds behind.
3. Janez Brajkovic, Slovenia, RadioShack, 0:15.
4. Alberto Contador, Spain, Astana, same time.
5. Reine Taaramae, Estonia, Cofidis, 0:18.
6. Pierre Rolland, France, BBox Bouygues Telecom, same time.
7. Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Belgium, Omega Pharma-Lotto, same time.
8. Eros Capecchi, Italy, Footon-Servetto, same time.
9. Remi Pauriol, France, Cofidis, 0:23.
10. Denis Menchov, Russia, Rabobank, same time.

Overall Standings:

1. Janez Brajkovic, Slovenia, RadioShack, 16 hours, 25 minutes, 44 seconds.
2. Tejay Van Garderen, United States, HTC-Columbia, 1 minute, 15 seconds behind.
3. Alberto Contador, Spain, Astana, 1:41.
4. David Millar, Britain, Garmin, 1:56.
5. Nicolas Vogondy, France, BBox Bouygues Telecom, 2:43.
6. Denis Menchov, Russia, Rabobank, 2:55.
7. Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Belgium, Omega Pharma-Lotto, 3:06.
8. Christian Knees, Germany, Milram, 3:10.
9. Reine Taaramae, Estonia, Cofidis, 3:28.
10. Gorka Verdugo, Spain, Euskaltel, 3:29.