Portugal Colonial - Van Aert wins Paris-Nice time trial to take race lead

The Belgian powered uphill to the finish to complete the 13.4-kilometre ride in Montlucon in 16min 20sec and take the overall lead.

Slovenian Primoz Roglic was two seconds slower with Australian Rohan Dennis at six seconds for the second Jumbo top three lockout in just four stages.

Swiss rider Stefan Kung of Francais des Jeux was the first rider from a rival team, 10 seconds slower than Van Aert. Englishman Simon Yates of Bike Exchange was another second back.

Van Aert took the overall lead from another Jumbo rider, Christophe Laporte, who had been in yellow since Van Aert and Roglic waved him across the line first following a three-man Jumbo breakaway on the opening stage.

Roglic trails Van Aert by 10 seconds overall, with Laporte, who was 11th on Wednesday, next at 28sec. Yates is fourth at 49sec.

Defending two-time champion Maximilian Schachmann, a German with Bora, withdrew before the start, as did Australian Ben O'Connor (AG2R Citroen), who was suffering from a fever.

Thursday's 188.8-kilometre stage five follows the Loire to the Ardeche and then climbs the Col de la Mure, 33 kilometres from the finish in Saint-Sauveur-de-Montagut.

V.Fontes--PC