The Lotto-Soudal rider forced the pace from the start of the 174 kilometres second stage from Delémont and managed to join what proved to be the decisive break after just seven kilometres.

A five-strong group stayed clear for most of the race before de Gendt was left on his own with barely 30km left.

He duly powered away on his own superbly and still led by three minutes with 5km left.

He eventually crossed in 4 hours 3min 5sec tor triumph by 2:04 over the peloton in a race doubling as an International Cycling Union World Tour leg.

Italy's Bahrain-Merida rider Sonny Colbrelli sprinted into second place.

France and AG2R La Mondiale's Samuel Dumoulin finished third in the same time.

At one stage, it had seemed likely that de Gendt would also take the overall lead, but the drop in the last 5km meant he remains a minute down.

Primož Roglič of Slovenia and LottoNL-Jumbo and Australia's Rohan Dennis jointly lead by four seconds from Britain's Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas.

The peloton will tomorrow tackle a tough 10km uphill time trial from Ollon to Villars-sur-Ollon.

Italy's Giorgia Bronzini, meanwhile, won the first stage of the Tour of Chongmin Island on the Women's Tour.

The Cylance Pro Cycling rider sprinted home on the 111.5km route from the mouth of the Yangtze river close to Shanghai to Chongming Xincheng Park.

Belgium's Kelly Druyts of Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport was second and Italy's Silvia Persico of Valcar PBM third.

All the leaders were awarded the same time of 2:38:56.