France’s Julian Alaphilippe has taken the overall lead in the Paris-Nice after winning the fourth-stage time trial ©Getty Images

France’s Julian Alaphilippe has taken the overall lead in the Paris-Nice after winning the fourth-stage time trial. 

The 24-year-old Quick-Step Floors rider clocked a winning time of 21 min 19sec, beating two-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain by 19sec.

Victory over the 14.5-kilometes stage from Beaujeu to Mont Brouilly sees Alaphilippe replace fellow Frenchman Arnaud Demare, a 47th-place finisher today, as the general classification leader.

His overall time of 12:36:27 puts him 33sec ahead of compatriot Tony Gallopin, who was 20sec behind in third today.  

Two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador finished second today ©Getty Images
Two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador finished second today ©Getty Images

Spain’s Gorka Izagirre is third in the general classification, 47sec off the pace after coming fourth today, while Contador is 1:31 back in eighth.

Demare, the winner of the opening stage around Bois-d'Arcy on Sunday (March 5), is now down to 10th.

Tomorrow’s fifth stage is 199.5km to Bourg-de-Péage, situated in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Paris-Nice is an International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour event.

On the opening day of the Tirreno-Adriatico in Italy, another World Tour event, BMC Racing won the team time trial in Lido di Camaiore.