Hivert wins Romandie stage

Geneva - Frenchman Jonathan Hivert of the Saur-Sojasun team dominated an uphill sprint at the end of the Tour of Romandie's second stage as Britain's Bradley Wiggins retained the overall lead on Thursday.

Paris-Nice champion Wiggins, who took the race leader's yellow jersey from Geraint Thomas with victory on the opening stage, leads another Sky team-mate, Michael Rogers, by 7sec in the overall standings.

Dutchman Bauke Mollema, of the Rabobank team, lies third overall two further seconds off the pace.

In an undulating finale which also included a number of peloton-breaking roundabouts, a number of teams tried to dictate the pace in a bid to keep their leaders and potential stage winners at the front.

But it was Hivert, whose team are in the second tier Continental division, who took the plaudits after 149.1 km of racing between Monbeliaud-Moutier.

As the road moved gradually upwards towards the finish line Hivert followed all the right wheels before overtaking Movistar's Portuguese contender Rui Costa metres before the finish.

Costa finished second, ahead of multiple Tour de France stage winner Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank).

The third stage of the race, being seen by many as a pre-Tour de France tester for Wiggins and reigning yellow jersey champion Cadel Evans of Australia, is held on Friday over 157.6 km from La Neuveville to Charmey.

Results on Thursday from the third stage of the six-day Tour de Romandie, a 149km trek from Montbeliard in France to Moutier:

1. Jonathan Hivert, France, Saur-Sojasun, 3 hours, 48 minutes, 11 seconds.
2. Rui Costa, Portugal, Movistar, same time.
3. Luis Leon Sanchez, Spain, Rabobank, same time.
4. Gianni Meersman, Belgium, Lotto-Belisol, same time.
5. Ryder Hesjedal, Canada, Garmin-Barracuda, same time.
6. Giacomo Nizzolo, Italy, RadioShack-Nissan, same time.
7. Daniele Pietropolli, Italy, Lampre, same time.
8. Eduard Vorganov, Russia, Katusha, same time.
9. Allan Davis, Australia, GreenEdge, same time.
10. Roman Kreuziger, Czech Republic, Astana, same time.

Overall Standings:

1. Bradley Wiggins, Britain, Sky Procycling, 8 hours, 42 minutes, 02 seconds.
2. Michael Rogers, Australia, Sky Procycling, 7 seconds behind.
3. Bauke Mollema, Netherlands, Rabobank, :09.
4. Stef Clement, Netherlands, Rabobank, same time.
5. Andrew Talansky, United States, Garmin-Barracuda, :11.
6. Luis Leon Sanchez, Spain, Rabobank, same time.
7. Wilco Kelderman, Netherlands, Rabobank, same time.
8. David Zabriskie, United States, Garmin-Barracuda, :12.
9. Simon Spilak, Slovenia, Katusha, same time.
10. Ruben Plaza, Spain, Movistar, same time.