The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider had won the first three flat stages on this year's race in bunch sprints, and repeated the feat this time without a lead-out from Dutch team-mate Mathieu van der Poel.

Dutch rider Dylan Groenewegen of Team Jayco-AlUla was Philipsen's closest challenger at the end of the 179.8 kilometres route from Clermont-Ferrand to Moulins, but was launched too early by Slovenian team-mate Luka Mezgec.

Philipsen was able to find the wheel of five-time Tour de France stage winner Groenewegen, then surged past him to produce what turned out to be a comfortable victory in 4 hours 1min 7sec.

Germany's Phil Bauhaus, riding for Team Bahrain Victorious, completed the top three in the same time as Philipsen and Groenewegen, with France's Bryan Coquard of Cofidis in fourth and stage eight winner Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Lidl-Trek in fifth missing out on the podium.

It was a quiet day in the general classification, with Danish defending champion and overall leader Jonas Vingegaard of Team Jumbo-Visma maintaining his 17 second advantage over Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates.

Both riders finished safely in a group seven seconds behind the stage leaders.

Philipsen expressed his delight at his fourth stage win, and wants more success.

"I can also win without Mathieu, but he makes it easier when he's up there," he said.

"Today I had to find some wheels and to find my space.

"I'm happy I could find Dylan’s wheel, then he opened space and I could overtake.

"There might be three more sprint opportunities, but there are also people going for breaks.

"Hopefully I’ll get some more wins, but above all taking this jersey to Paris is the main goal now."

Philipsen extended his points classification lead on stage 11, moving on to 323, with his closest challenger Coquard on 178.

Pogačar predicted tomorrow's 168.8km hilly stage from Roanne to Belleville-en-Beaujolais, featuring five categorised climbs, "may affect the GC [general classification]".