Two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard withdrew from Paris-Nice as British duo Josh Tarling and Sam Watson lost out in a sprint finish on stage six.

Denmark’s Mads Pedersen took victory on the 209.8km route from Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban to Berre l’Etang, after holding off Tarling in the final 100m, with Watson coming third.

With Vingegaard pulling out before racing got under way on Friday after injuring his wrist on Thursday, his American team-mate Matteo Jorgenson was able to extend his overall race lead.

On a cold, wet and windy day an attack by Jorgenson’s Visma-Lease a Bike, nearly 60km from the line, illuminated the race and distanced five of the top 10 riders in the general classification including Joao Almeida.

It ensured that Jorgensen gained another four seconds at the top of the general classification.

Saturday’s penultimate stage takes the peloton over a mountainous 109.5km route from Nice to Auron.