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Lausanne - Welsh rider Geraint Thomas surrendered his Tour de Romandie overall lead to Swiss rival Michael Albasini as he won both Wednesday's second stage, the 168.1km ride from Apples to St-Imier and took the yellow jersey.
Albasini, who missed out on the yellow jersey by just 63 hundredths of a second on Tuesday in the team time-trial, edged out Jarlinson Pantano of Colombia and in-form Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe, who was second in both the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Fleche-Wallonne in the past week.
Welsh rider Thomas finished over four minutes behind the winner at the end of the hilly stage.
Albasini's team-mate Ivan Santaromita is second, 10 seconds adrift while two-time defending champion Chris Froome of Britain is third, also trailing by 10 seconds.
Thursday's third stage is a hilly 172.5km ride from Moutier and Porrentruy, including the category two Col de la Croix.
Results of the second stage of the Tour de Romandie, a 168.1 kilometre race between Apples and Saint-Imier, on Wednesday:
Stage:
1. Michael Albasini (SUI/Orica), 4hr 21min 43sec, 2. Jarlinson Pantano (COL/IAM) same time, 3. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/Etixx) s.t., 4. Nathan Haas (AUS/Cannondale) s.t., 5. Alberto Rui Costa (POR/Lampre) s.t., 6. Damiano Caruso (ITA/BMC) s.t., 7. Ilnur Zakarin (RUS/Katusha) s.t., 8. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/Orica) s.t., 9. Jan Bakelants (BEL/AG2R) s.t., 10. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/Cannondale) s.t.
Overall:
1. Michael Albasini (SUI/Orica) 4hr 42 min 52sec, 2. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/Orica) at 10sec, 3. Christopher Froome (GBR/Sky) s.t., 4. Simon Yates (GBR/Orica) s.t., 5. Ilnur Zakarin (RUS/Katusha) at 15, 6. Pavel Kochetkov (RUS/Katusha) s.t, 7. Egor Silin (RUS/Katusha) s.t., 8. Yuri Trofimov (RUS/Katusha) s.t., 9. Simon Spilak (SLO/Katusha) s.t., 10. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/Etixx) at 20 sec,
Selected others:
13. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/Astana) at 27 sec, 22. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) at 32, 28. Nairo Quintana (COL/Movistar) at 50, 41. Pierre Rolland (FRA/Europcar) at 1:17.
