Brajkovic's first major senior win was the 2007 Tour de Georgia

Briton David Millar dropped back in the Criterium du Dauphine, as Slovenian Janez Brajkovic retained his lead after finishing third in the fourth stage.

Millar, second overall after stage three, finished outside the top-10 and dropped to fourth overall.

Brajkovic held off a series of late challenges from two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who finished fourth but moved ahead of Millar.

Frenchman Nicolas Vogondy won the 210km stage, with Romain Sicard second.

Millar failed to match the leaders when the pace picked up on the climb to Risoul in what was the first day of four in the French Alps, where the race reaches its climax on Sunday.

606: DEBATE Good ride by Brajkovic, got to wonder what it would be like on a stage that goes up and down all day long, but he looked pretty steady there. UrlaubInPolen

With 1.7km to race in the 12.8km climb to Risoul ski station, Vogondy timed a late charge to perfection as Brajkovic was content to do battle with Contador.

"I was twice French champion but this is even better to win in a race in which you have guys like Contador or Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez. It is a dream come true," said Vogondy, who rides for French team Bouygues Telecom.

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

Criterium du Dauphine stage four results:

1. Nicolas Vogondy (Fr/BBox Bouygues Telecom) 6hr 3min 25 secs
2. Romain Sicard (Fr/Euskaltel) @ 12 secs behind
3. Janez Brajkovic (Slv/RadioShack) @ 15 secs
4. Alberto Contador (Sp/Astana) same time
5. Reine Taaramae (Est/Cofidis) @ 18 secs
6. Pierre Rolland (Fr/BBox Bouygues Telecom) same time
7. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) same time
8. Eros Capecchi (It/Footon-Servetto) same time
9. Remi Pauriol (Fr/Cofidis) @ 23 secs
10. Denis Menchov (Rus/Rabobank) same time

Overall standings:

1. Janez Brajkovic (Slv/RadioShack) 16hr, 25mins, 44 secs
2. Tejay Van Garderen (US/HTC-Columbia) @ 1min, 15secs behind
3. Alberto Contador (Sp/Astana) @ 1:41
4. David Millar (GB/Garmin) @ 1:56.
5. Nicolas Vogondy (Fr/BBox Bouygues Telecom) @ 2:43.
6. Denis Menchov (Rus/Rabobank) @ 2:55.
7. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 3:06.
8. Christian Knees (Ger/Milram) @ 3:10.
9. Reine Taaramae (Est/Cofidis) @ 3:28.
10. Gorka Verdugo (Sp/Euskaltel) @ 3:29.

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