Daryl Impey wins stage four as Stephen Williams keeps lead

Stephen Williams retained the lead of the Tour de Suisse as Daryl Impey claimed a surprise win on stage four

Although the 190 km long route from Grenchen to Brunnen was mostly flat, it featured a sharp climb 16 km before the finish.

The parcours could have suited a breakaway as well as a small group of favourites, but in the end a reduced peloton of around 60 riders managed to fight it out for the day's victory.

Impey, 37, edged out Michael Matthews in a photo finish at the end of the 191km stage from Grenchen to Brunnen.

It was the South African's first World Tour win since his victory on stage nine at the 2019 Tour de France.

Bahrain Victorious' Williams leads Andreas Kron of Lotto Soudal by six seconds, with Ineos Grenadiers' Geraint Thomas seven seconds behind in third.

Williams finished in the 60-rider front group, despite some attacks from other riders on the late climb, while his fellow Welshman Thomas climbed into the podium places after improving his fourth overall position from stage three.

But the day belonged to Israel-Premier Tech rider Impey, who proved he was able to win again after a nasty high-speed sprint crash exactly one year ago which forced him to miss the Tokyo Olympics.

Four more stages follow in the race that ends this Sunday.

VIDEO: Tour de Suisse Stage 4 Highlights

Tour de Suisse Stage 4 Top 10

1 RSA Daryl Impey Israel-Premier Tech 04:14:09
2 AUS Michael Matthews Team BikeExchange-Jayco + 00
3 DEN Søren Kragh Andersen Team DSM + 00
4 ITA Alberto Bettiol EF Education-EasyPost + 00
5 GBR Tom Pidcock INEOS Grenadiers + 00
6 ESP Alex Aranburu Movistar Team + 00
7 AUT Felix Großschartner BORA-hansgrohe + 00
8 ITA Gianluca Brambilla Trek-Segafredo + 00
9 FRA Mathieu Burgaudeau TotalEnergies + 00
10 SUI Stefan Küng Groupama-FDJ + 00

Tour de Suisse GC after Stage 4

01 GBR Stephen Williams Bahrain Victorious 17:46:28
02 DEN Andreas Kron Lotto Soudal + 06
03 GBR Geraint Thomas INEOS Grenadiers + 07
04 NOR Andreas Leknessund Team DSM + 07
05 SUI Stefan Küng Groupama-FDJ + 10
06 SUI Marc Hirschi UAE Team Emirates + 10
07 USA Sepp Kuss Jumbo-Visma + 10
08 DEN Jakob Fuglsang Israel-Premier Tech + 10
09 RUS Aleksandr Vlasov BORA-hansgrohe + 10
10 GBR Adam Yates INEOS Grenadiers + 10