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Four contenders for the overall title lost time over a wet and challenging route that resembled a course for a single-day classic, with two short climbs — one of them very steep — near the finish.

Vincenzo Nibali, the 2014 champion from Italy, and top French hope Thibaut Pinot each finished 11 seconds behind stage winner Peter Sagan as they struggled up the final climb.

“It was like a classics finale, on slippery roads, a bit complicated,� Pinot said. “There are still a couple of tricky stages to come. I need to be patient but all in all I’m satisfied.�

Two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador fell to the ground for the second consecutive day and lost 48 seconds.

Richie Porte, the co-captain of the BMC squad with American standout Tejay van Garderen, punctured a tire toward the end and didn’t have any teammates to help him ride back into the peloton. Porte dropped 1 minute, 45 seconds — likely ending his chances of overall victory.

Froome, the Kenyan-born British rider who is favored to defend his title, is placed well in fifth overall, 14 seconds behind leader Sagan.

Nairo Quintana, the two-time runner-up from Colombia, also hasn’t lost any time in the overall battle and is positioned seventh with the same time as Froome.

The other overall favorites who have not lost time are Spanish Vuelta champion Fabio Aru of Italy, Romain Bardet of France and van Garderen.

It was Sagan’s fifth stage win on a Tour, his first since 2013, and his first time earning the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

Sagan, who already has four best sprinter’s green jerseys to his name and won the Tour of Flanders classic earlier this season, also claimed the lead in the points standings.

“In big races, experience counts,� he said. “I did a lot of sacrifices to come to the Tour de France in good form but it’s never easy to win, even if it looks easy sometimes.�