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Paris-Nice is in the mountains. Today's 173 kilometres stage between Maurs and Mende finished atop La Croix Neuve - Montée Laurent Jalabert (1st category) after climbing côte de Chabrits (2nd category) and three lesser hills.

The stage followed a rather usual scenario: seven riders escaped after 10 kilometres, and let till close to the finish. The peloton kept them under control, and caught same  at the foot of Montée Laurent Jalabert, when a 60-wheel pack took the lead and fought for the bouquet.

And the winner was twice Tour winner Alberto Contador (Astana) with ten seconds on compatriots Valverde and Sanchez.

Double for Contador who takes the leader's jersey away from Jens Voigt.

Results
1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana
2. Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne at 10?
3. Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
4. Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha at 18"
5. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom at 20?
6. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Farnese Vini at 21?
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas - Doimo
8. Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française des Jeux at 29"
9. Luis-Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
10. Reine Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne at 31"
?
14. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) at 44"
42. Francis De Greef at 1'53"
54. Jurgen Van Den Broeck at 2'23"
87. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) at 4?49?
99. Mickaël Delage (Fra) at 5?48"
106. Jürgen Roelandts at 7?24"
151. Jurgen Van Goolen (Bel) at 11?31?
152. Philippe Gilbert 

Spain’s Alberto Contador secured a Paris-Nice double whammy on Thursday by winning the race’s fourth stage here, becoming the overall leader in the process.

The Astana rider attacked 1700 meters from the line to finish 10 seconds ahead of compatriots Alejandro Valverde and Samuel Sanchez after the 173.5 kilometer ride from Maurs.

Another Spaniard, Joaquim Rodriguez, finished fourth, with Frenchman Thomas Voeckler 18sec off the pace in fifth.

“I didn’t feel great,” said Contador. “It was cold, really very cold, during the stage. I hope the temperature will increase.

“Paris-Nice isn’t over. I even think the hard part is just starting. There are three difficult stages remaining and you shouldn’t forget that Paris-Nice is one of the most difficult races of the season to control.”

Overnight leader Jens Voigt conceded 40 seconds to Contador after falling behind during the grueling 3km climb to the finish line.

In the new overall classification, reigning Tour de France champion Contador is 24 seconds ahead of Valverde.

Contador’s victory was his fifth stage win in the Paris-Nice race and the second time he has won the stage ending in Mende.

His first major professional race victory came with the 2007 Paris-Nice, which laid the foundations for his first Tour de France triumph later that year.

Friday’s fifth stage is a 157km ride south from Pernes-les-Fontaines to Aix-en-Provence. The race finishes in Nice on Sunday.

Results on Thursday of the fourth stage of the Paris-Nice race, a 173.5km ride from Maurs-la-Jolie to Mende:
1. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) 4hr 26min 47sec,
2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/GCE) at 10sec,
3. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 10,
4. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 18,
5. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/BTL) 20,
6. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 21,
7. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/LIQ) 21,
8. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA/FDJ) 29,
9. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/GCE) 29,
10. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 31,
11. Jerome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 37,
12. Jens Voigt (GER/SAX) 44,
13. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) 44,
14. Jean-Christophe Peraud (FRA/OLO) 44,
15. Sandy Casar (FRA/FDJ) 44,
16. Volodymir Gustov (UKR/CTT) 44,
17. Nicolas Roche (IRL/ALM) 48,
18. Simon Gerrans (AUS/CTT) 53,
19. Xavier Tondo (ESP/CTT) 56,
20. Peter Sagan (SVK/LIQ) 58

Overall classification after four stages:
1. Alberto Contador (ESP/AST) 17hr 07min 23sec,
2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/GCE) at 24sec,
3. Roman Kreuziger (CZE/LIQ) 25,
4. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/GCE) 28,
5. Samuel Sanchez (ESP/EUS) 29,
6. Jens Voigt (GER/SAX) 34,
7.Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 36,
8. Peter Sagan (SVK/LIQ) 54,
9. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 1min 03sec,
10. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 1:06,
11. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/BTL) 1:08,
12. Xavier Tondo (ESP/CTT) 1:14,
13. Jean-Christophe Peraud (FRA/OLO) 1:15,
14. Jerome Coppel (FRA/SAU) 1:16,
15. Nicolas Roche (IRL/ALM) 1:22

Photos by: CorVos Pro

Alberto Contador is de nieuwe leider in Parijs-Nice. De Spanjaard wist vandaag op de slotklim (La Croix Neuve) net buitenMende iedereen voor te blijven en zo de gele leiderstrui over te nemen van Jens Voigt. Alejandro Valverde eindigde op tien seconden op de tweede plaats, Samuel Sanchez was nog eens een tel later derde. De Nederlanders wisten zich in de eindafrekening van deze vierde etappe niet te onderscheiden, Albert Timmer (Skil-Shimano) liet zich dan wel in een lange vlucht opmerken. De renner uit het Overijsselse Gramsbergen reed vooruit met Jerome Pineau (Quick Step), Amael Moinard (Cofidis), Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel), Marco Marcato (Vacansoleil), Jean-Marc Marino (Saur Sojasun) en Julien Loubet (AG2R). In het algemeen klassement heeft Contador 24 seconden voorsprong op Alejandro Valverde.

Jens Voigt - klassementsleider in Parijs-Nice - zal dit jaar niet deelnemen aan het Criterium International. De Duitser van Team Saxo Bank won deze Franse rittenwedstrijd vijf keer, waaronder de afgelopen drie edities. Volgens de 39-jarige routinier heeft zijn ploeg niet voldoende manschappen om te rijden eind maart. Een deel van de ploeg rijdt dat weekeinde Gent-Wevelgem, een ander deel de Volta a Catalunya. Verder rijden Rasmussen en Morkov het WK op de piste.

During last years Tour de France Jens Voigt had a horrible crash that had many wondering whether he will come back and race again or just retire. Voigt is now just looking ahead to the 2010 racing season.

Voigt, the 38-year-old, who suffered a broken cheekbone and a concussion when he fell in the descent from the Col du Petit St Bernard last July, snatched the Paris-Nice yellow jersey after the third stage.

So far the journey has not been very easy for the experienced Saxo Bank rider.

“At the Tour Down Under, I was not in good shape,” Voigt said.

“I then went to training in Mallorca with the Schleck brothers (Andy and Frank) and took part in the Trophy of Mallorca.”

Voigt showed he was back to business when he took fourth place overall in the Ruta del Sol and on Wednesday, he was not far from winning the third stage of Paris-Nice.

“After the last climb, I was really on the edge. Alberto (Contador) wanted me to help him in the final kilometres but I was really exhausted,” said Voigt, the oldest rider in the race.

The German was fourth in a stage won by Slovakia’s Peter Sagan, who at 20 is the youngest man in the field.

“He could be my son,” said Voigt.

“Really, I think they should have a distinctive grey jersey for riders over 35.”

Retirement is now looming for Voigt but the German wants to ride the Champs Elysees on his bike once more before leaving the peloton.

“I do not want to leave it after that stupid crash,” he said.

“I want to see the Champs Elysees, say thank you and goodbye to the Tour de France.”