The 35 kilometres test against the clock from Pont-de-Vaux was in many way a dress rehearsal for a similar stage due to take place on stage three of the Tour de France.

Team Sky proved a cut above their rivals from the outset and were 14 seconds clear of then-leader BMC Racing at the first intermediate time check.

They duly pressed home their advantage to cross in 36min 33sec - 37 seconds faster than any other team.

BMC Racing held on to second place as Lotto Soudal took third, another 16 seconds behind.

Mitchelton-Scott, Quick-Step Floors and Trek-Segafredo occupied the next three places. 

Kwiatkowski duly moved back into the overall lead after he briefly lost it yesterday to Mitchelton-Scott's stage one winner Daryl Impey.

Italy's Gianni Moscon now lies second, three seconds back, with Spain's Jonathan Castroviejo and Great Britain's Geraint Thomas nine and 21 seconds off the leading pace respectively to complete the Team Sky top four.

Brent Bookwalter of United States and BMC Racing is best of the rest, 48 seconds behind Kwiatkowski in fifth overall.

South Africa's Impey now lies eighth. 

Team Sky will now seek to defend their position tomorrow in the first of four concluding mountain stages.

It will consist of a 181km journey from Chezey-sur-Ain to Lans-en-Vercors.

The event is part of the International Cycling Union World Tour.