The in-form Zabriskie also won the race's opening prologue

Phonak's Floyd Landis finished second, almost a minute behind the CSC rider who also won the opening prologue.

Gerolsteiner's Levi Leipheimer was third with George Hincapie of the Discovery Channel team fourth.

Belgian Philippe Gilbert continues to lead overall but Zabriskie has now moved into second, with Landis third.

"I'll do the best I can for the overall classification here but there are a lot of mountains to go," said Zabriskie, who led at every intermediate checkpoint on the 42km course.

"I think Americans are good at time trialling because we start riding alone, not in groups like in Europe."

The Dauphine Libere, always an important Tour de France warm-up, finishes on Sunday in Grenoble.

Stage result

1. David Zabriskie (U.S./Team CSC) 52:48"
2. Floyd Landis (U.S./Phonak) +53"
3. Levi Leipheimer (U.S./Gerolsteiner) +1:17"
4. George Hincapie (U.S./Discovery Channel) +1:35"
5. Bert Grabsch (Ger/Phonak) +1:38"
6. Marco Pinotti (Ita/Saunier Duval) +1:54"
7. Vladimir Gusev (Rus/Discovery Channel) same time
8. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr/Discovery Channel) +1:58"
9. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Caisse d'Epargne) +2:03"
10. Sebastian Lang (Ger/Gerolsteiner) same time

Selected other
37. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Cofidis) +3:35"

General Classification

1. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Francaise des Jeux) 10:52:41"
2. David Zabriskie (U.S./Team CSC) +2:47"
3. Floyd Landis (U.S./Phonak) +3:48"
4. Levi Leipheimer (U.S./Gerolsteiner) +4:20"
5. George Hincapie (U.S./Discovery Channel) +4:24"
6. Bert Grabsch (Ger/Phonak) +4:34"
7. Vladimir Gusev (Rus/Discovery Channel) +4:49"
8. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr/Discovery Channel) +4:57"
9. Sebastian Lang (Ger/Gerolsteiner) same time
10. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Caisse d'Epargne) +4:58"