Chris Froome eats into Alberto Contador's lead at Criterium du Dauphine

Alberto Contador saw his lead trimmed as Edvald Boasson Hagen won stage four of the Criterium du Dauphine on Thursday.

Spain's Contador (Tinkoff) was caught the wrong side of a split in the peloton caused by a late crash and defending champion Chris Froome (Team Sky) was the main beneficiary.

Briton Froome moved four seconds behind Contador, leapfrogging Richie Porte, who was also caught out and remains six seconds adrift.

Contador was disgruntled over the lack of application of the 3km rule, where the race is neutralised for riders caught in crashes in the latter stages.

"The truth is that losing nine seconds don't bother me," Contador said.

"What bothers me more is whether or not the rule of the last three kilometres gets applied.

"The split on the finishing line was due to a crash. I don't think the finales are more nervous here than at other World Tour races."

Norway's Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) outsprinted Frenchmen Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) and Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) to win the 176-kilometres stage from Tain-l'Hermitage to Belley.

The race now heads for the mountains, with three challenging stages before Sunday's conclusion for Froome, Contador and co to show their form ahead of the Tour de France, which begins on July 2.