He may have fallen, but Javier Fernandez has managed to stay on top…

The 25-year-old Spanish figure skater, a two-time world champion, recovered from a fall on his first jump to take the lead in the men’s short program at the Trophee de France on Friday.

The four-time European champion, who was skating to “Malaguena,” performed by Paco de Lucia and Placido Domingo, fell on his quadruple toe loop attempt on the Palais Omnisports ice but stayed calm. He then perfectly delivered a quadruple salchow-triple toe loop combination and landed a triple axel.

Fernandez, who won the Rostelecom Cup last week in Russia, will go into the free skate Saturday with a 3.72-point lead over American teenager Nathan Chen. World and Olympic medalist Denis Ten of Kazakhstan was a distant third, 7.36 points back.

Fernandez, who said he needed to improve his short program after his second place in Russia, was happy with the adjustments he made.

“Although I still fell on the quad toe, I’ve improved my spins and steps,” he said.

Chen, already the first skater to perform four quadruple jumps in a free skate during competition in January at the U.S nationals, became the first to land a quadruple lutz and a quadruple flip in the same program.

“I’m not trying to make history, I’m just setting personal goals,” the 17-year-old Chen said after making a successful debut on the senior circuit.

The Trophee de France is the fourth event of the Grand Prix Series. Held in Bordeaux last year, the event was canceled after the first day of competition because of the terror attacks in Paris.

The Cup of China and the NHK Trophy later this month will be the last chances for ice skaters to qualify for the GP Final from Dec. 7-11 in Marseille, France.