In a hilly 170-kilometres ride from Saint-Péray to Brives-Charensac, Vuillermoz kept pace with the leading group throughout before making well-executed sprint on the final straight to win the stage in a time of 4 hours 03min 34sec.

With the stage win and an overall time of 8:40:55, the 34-year-old, who rides for Team TotalEnergies, takes a distinctive jersey for the first time in his career and his first race victory since 2019.

The four other riders following closely behind were Norway's Anders Skaarseth, Kevin Vermaerke of the United States and two more French riders, Olivier Le Gac and Anthony Delaplace.

"It’s incredible," Vuillermoz, winner of an individual stage of the Tour de France in 2015, said. 

"After two years of struggles and a pelvic fracture, I could have stopped riding. 

"But I still wanted to come back. 

"I wanted to enjoy myself and it paid off."

Belgium's Wout Van Aert, victorious in yesterday's first stage, came around five seconds behind the leading group to finish sixth, handing the coveted yellow jersey to Vuillermoz in the 74th edition of this event held in the titular region of south eastern France

The Jumbo–Visma rider did, however, keep hold of the green jersey, awarded on total points, whilst Pierre Rolland of France, representing B&B Hotels p/b KTM. retained the blue, dotted best climber jersey.

As a reward for finishing fourth, 21-year-old Vermaerke, riding for DSM, took over the white jersey, which rewards the best young rider. 

Tomorrow's stage three of the Critérium du Dauphiné is due to be roughly the same length, from Saint-Paulien to Chastriex-Sancy.

The eight-stage 1,194.4 km, which is due to finish in Plateau de Solaison on Sunday (12), represents an important warm-up for the Tour de France, scheduled to begin on July 1.