Millar has won three stages of the Tour de France

Britain's David Millar moved to second place overall after finishing second in stage three of Criterium de Dauphine Libere from Monteux to Sorgues.

Slovakian Janez Brajkovic, of Lance Armstrong's RadioShack team, won the 49km stage in one hour, one minute and 51 seconds and took the overall lead.

Reigning Tour de France winner Alberto Contador led after two stages but was sixth and dropped to fourth overall.

Britain's Geraint Thomas was seventh and slipped back to fifth overall.

Brajkovic's victory brought a welcome change of fortune for the RadioShack team.

606: DEBATE Can Millar win the Dauphine?

Spain's Haimar Zubeldia fractured his wrist in a massive crash in the Dauphine on Monday and is almost certainly ruled out of next month's Tour de France, while last week, Sebastien Rosseler was hit by a car during training in Belgium and is also unlikely to compete in the Tour.

Brajkovic, who started the day five seconds behind Contador, paced the third-category climb to the Cote de la Roque sur Pernes perfectly, and was steady in the final 20 kilometres.

Contador, who is using the Dauphine as part of his Tour de France preparations, was never in contention as he tried out his new time trial bike.

The 27-year-old is now 1:41 behind Brajkovic.

Looking ahead to the Tour de France, Millar insisted that he would be concentrating on supporting team leader Christian Vande Velde.

"I will have to be in top form for the third week, as long as possible to help Christian," he said. "Where I finish in Paris does not matter."

Thursday's fourth stage takes the riders on a 210km course from Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux to Risoul, featuring an uphill finish.

Criterium du Dauphine stage three results:

1. Janez Brajkovic (Slv/RadioShack) 1hr 1min 51 secs
2. David Millar (GB/Garmin) @ 26 secs
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Sky) @ 43 secs
4. Tejay Van Garderen (US/Thr) @ 53 secs
5. Denis Menchov (Rus/Rab) @ 55 secs
6. Alberto Contador (Sp/Ast) @ 1 mins 45
7. Geraint Thomas (GB/Sky) @ 1 min 56
8. Christian Knees (Ger/Mrm) @ 2 mins 09
9. Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun/Kat) @ 2 mins 14
10. Patrick Gretsch (Ger/Thr) @ 2 mins 15

Overall standings:

1. Janez Brajkovic (Slv/RadioShack) 10hrs 22mins 04secs
2. David Millar (GB/Garmin) +36 secs
3. Tejay Van Garderen (US/Thr) +50 secs
4. Alberto Contador (Sp/Ast) +1:41
5. Geraint Thomas (GB/Sky) + 2:01

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