Biniam Girmay won a bunch sprint to take the second stage of the Tour de Suisse on Monday with Stefan Kung retaining the race lead.

At the end of a 173km-ride between Beromunster and Nottwil, Girmay slipped into an opening left by Wout Van Aert, who sprinted too early, to finish ahead of Arnaud Demare. Van Aert was third.

Girmay added the stage win to a victory in the Giro d’Italia last year, as he took advantage of one of the few opportunities left to sprinters in the mountainous race.

“I surprised myself,” said the winner of the 2022 Gent-Wevelgem, who suffered a heavy fall in the Tour of Flanders in April and had been fighting to get fit.

Stefan Kung kept the lead he acquired on Sunday’s time trial. He is five seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, returning to action after his withdrawal from the Giro. The Soudal-Quick Step rider grabbed a bonus second in the second intermediate sprint.