Cycling: Wiggins holds on to his Dauphiné lead

(AP)

Bradley Wiggins retained the leader's yellow jersey as German John Degenkolb won yesterday's fourth stage of the Dauphiné Libéré.

Wiggins' Team Sky colleague Edvald Boasson Hagen was second in a mass sprint at the end of the 108-mile trek from La Motte-Servolex to Macon. He was edged out by Degenkolb, whose time of four hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds was good enough for the stage win after breakaway duo Jérémy Roy and Adriano Malori were hauled in just over a mile away from the finish.

Another British rider, Geraint Thomas, is sixth in the overall classification, two minutes and 25 seconds behind Wiggins, who still holds a 1min 11sec lead over Cadel Evans.

Slovenia's Janez Brajkovic is third going into today's 131-mile stage from Villars-les-Dombes to Les Gets, the longest in the race.