Ukrainian Yuriy Krivtsov won the second stage of the Tour of Romandie on Thursday but Italian rider Simone Bertoletti retains the overall lead with three days of the event remaining.

Krivtsov, riding for Jean Delatour, put in a dominant performance after breaking from the pack early in the race and sprinted home to claim a comfortable victory.

He finished the 178.2km test from Couvet to Lucens in four hours, 19 minutes and 36 seconds to finish 12 seconds ahead of Swiss Phonak rider Martin Elmiger.

The chasing pack were one minute and 23 seconds behind Krivtsov, with Italian Angelo Furlan, of the Alessio team, Fassa Bortolo's Fabian Cancellara and Italian Ivan Quaranta, of Saeco, completing the top five.

The Swiss Phonak team took early control of the race as the riders headed out of Couvet, and soon after the 30km mark Elmiger split from the pack along with Krivtsov.

The pair built up a 30-second lead and extended it to 1:37 by the 38km mark as they made the most of the perfect conditions.

Belgian Erik Lievens became the first retirement of the day as the lead pair extended their gap to 6:25 after 74km.

Finally, the Lampre team, who had challenged for the lead early in the stage, broke to start a chase at the 103km mark as the rest of the pack were forced to stop at a level crossing.

With 154km gone Krivtsov had moved ahead of Elmiger, and although the Lampre break closed the gap, Krivtsov had enough left to sprint to the end and claim the victory.

There was little change in the overall standings as the leaders stayed safely in the peloton.

Bertoletti, riding for Lampre, retains a lead of 1:01 over Cancellara. Local riders Alexandre Moos, of Phonak, and Laurent Dufaux, of Alessio, are two and three seconds further back respectively.

The riders will set off from Moudon on Friday for the tough 171.3km fourth stage that culminates in a 700-meter climb to Loeche-les-Bains. The event finishes in Lausanne on Sunday.