Australia's Richie Porte has slipped to third spot in the Criterium du Dauphine Libere after the fourth stage was won by Edvald Boasson Hagen in a bunched sprint finish.
Alberto Contador retained the race leader's jersey ahead of Froome who cut his lead to four seconds ahead of three mountain stages.
Porte is six seconds behind the Spaniard and two seconds the British rider.
Norway's Hagen edged Frenchmen Julian Alaphilippe and Nacer Bouhanni to claim his fourth stage win in six years at the warm-up race for the Tour de France.
"It was the last opportunity for riders like me," said Boasson Hagen, who took advantage of the slightly uphill finish to make his move.
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"Everyone was getting tired and I managed to stay ahead," he said.
