YVERDON BAINS: Belgium’s Thomas De Gendt broke away to win the second stage of the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland on Thursday, as Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic retained the overall leader’s yellow jersey.

De Gendt, of the Lotto Soudal team, was part of a four-man breakaway on the 174km ride from Delemont to Yverdon-les-Bains, on the shores of Lake Neuchatel.

The 31-year-old then found himself alone with 25km remaining, four minutes ahead of the pack, and saw out the victory, leaving Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli to win a sprint for second place.

Friday’s third stage will be a 9.9km individual time-trial at Villars-sur-Ollon, much of which will be uphill.

The fifth and final stage will finish in Geneva on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2018