Rast, of the Phonak Team, finished second to grab the overall lead, taking over from German Erik Zabel, the winner of Tuesday's opening stage.

German Fabian Wegmann of the Gerolsteiner outfit led a small chasing group who finished narrowly ahead of the peloton to take third place, over two minutes back.

Stage 2 results:

1. Gerben Lowik (Hol) BankGiroLoterij four hours 49 minutes 40 seconds
2. Gregory Rast (Swi) Phonak one second behind
3. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) two minutes 20 seconds
4. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team Fakta same time
5. Steffen Wesemann (Ger) Team Telekom same time
6. Isidro Nozal (Spa) ONCE same time
7. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom 2:25
8. Gerrit Glomser (Aut) Saeco same time
9. Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole same time
10. Stefan Kupfernagel (Ger) Phonak same time

Leading overall standings:

1. Rast nine hours 33 minutes 23 seconds
2. Lowik +24 secs
3. Zabel +2:01
4. O'Grady +2:09
5. Wesemann +2:11
6. Nozal same time
7. Glomser +2:12
8. Enrico Poitschke (Germany) Wiesenhof +2:16
9. Olaf Pollack (Germany) Gerolsteiner same time
10. Angel Vicioso Arcos (Spain) ONCE same time

Etxebarria takes opening Basque stage

Double Tour de France stage winner David Etxebarria won stage one of the Euskal Bizikleta in his home region of the Basque country.

The rider, a member of the Basque country's own Euskaltel-Euskadi team, was first over the line between Eibar and Ispater.

Results/standings