Geraint Thomas stayed fifth overall after surviving a late crash on stage four of Paris-Nice.

The Cardiff-born racer was sent tumbling to the tarmac after a touch of wheels in the peloton as the pace hotted up.

But Tomas had the support of his fellow Team Sky riders on the climb of the Cote de Saint-Uze to get back into the main bunch.

Thomas finished 11th to stay 19 seconds behind Australia’s Michael Matthews with three stages left.

The next two stages are likely to be key as the ‘Race to the Sun’ heads back into the mountains.

Thomas, 29, is looking for back-to-back wins following last month’s triumph at the Volta ao Algarve.

Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni won the 121.4mile stage to Romans-sur-Isere having been demoted from first place two days ago.

Thomas’ team-mate and fellow Welshman, Luke Rowe, is 113th, eight minutes 36seconds off the lead.