Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara won the Tour of Switzerland prologue on Saturday.
The world time trial champion illustrated his fondness for the race by completing the course in 4 minutes 20 seconds, giving him an eight second advantage over Italian Daniel Bennati.
Spain's Jose Ivan Gutierrez was nine seconds back in third.
French rider William Bonnet, Stuart O'Grady of Australia and Russia's Vladimir Gusev were all 10 seconds off the pace.
'special'
"It's a very special race," the 26-year-old Cancellara said. "Never before have I taken part in a race so close to my home and as world champion."
Cancellara also won the prologue of the event in 2003, but his yellow jersey glory didn't last long because he lost the race lead to Alexandre Vinokourov the following day on the Jura.
Yesterday's 157.2km second stage from Olten to Lucerne was not expected to be so arduous, but Cancellara would have to guard against the sprinting skills of Italy's Daniel Bennati.
short
This 71st running of the Tour of Switzerland is the shortest in 40 years and is made up of nine stages.
It is also a traditional warm-up for the Tour de France but is one of the most open races for years with defending champion Jan Ullrich now retired.
Astana team riders Andreas Kloden and Matthias Kessler are tipped to be amongst the potential winners in Berne next Sunday with CSC's Carlos Sastre and Frank Schleck also likely to figure.
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