Paris-Nice Prologue - Matthews outpaces Dumoulin

The 2016 Race to the Sun got underway in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, just outside Paris, with a today's prologue stage. Despite the best efforts of some skilled time trialists, Michael Matthews continued Orica-GreenEDGE's strong start to the season by taking the first yellow jersey.

There's not a lot you can say about prologues other than simply providing the times, so feel free to skip to the bottom of the post while I run through a few things of note.

Tom Dumoulin looks a good bet to continue the scintillating form that saw him come heartbreakingly close to the Vuelta a España last year, being pipped by Matthews by just a second over the 6km course.

Geraint Thomas is also putting his disappointing Tour Down Under behind him, finishing a strong 7th and keeping up the momentum from his win in the Volta ao Algarve two weeks ago.

Last year's winner Richie Porte kept himself in contention for his third Paris-Nice win, finishing 11th, just 10 seconds adrift of Matthews, and perhaps more relevant, nine back from Dumoulin.

Other GC contenders lost more time than Porte, with Alberto Contador 16 seconds off the lead, French hero Romain Bardet 25 seconds behind, and 2009 winner Luis Leon Sanchez down in 64th, 27 seconds behind the leader.

Patrick Bevin also kept up Cannondale's run of unlikely good results from the TDU, with the highly-rated newcomer clocking a 7:41, which held the lead for a long time in the afternoon before being pipped by Dumoulin, and then Matthews, by a second at a time.

Matthews' time was ultimately too good for those who rode after him, and as Porte finished, riding last as reigning champion, so did any chance of the Orica-GreenEDGE man being removed from the yellow jersey.

ASO/P. Perreve

Stage winner Michael Matthews (OGE):
"It's really a great start to the season. I was thinking a top five was possible on a course like this. I had high hopes but I didn't think I could win this.

"The next few stages are flat sprints so I should be able to keep the jersey. We'll see how far I can go."

Stage results
1. Michael Matthews (OGE) 7:39
2. Tom Dumoulin (TGA) + :01
3. Patrick Bevin (CPT) + :02

General Classification
1. Michael Matthews (OGE) 7:39
2. Tom Dumoulin (TGA) + :01
3. Patrick Bevin (CPT) + :02
4. Jesus Herrada (MOV) + :06
5. Ion Izaguirre (MOV) + :06
6. Lieuwe Westra (AST) + :07
7. Geraint Thomas (SKY) + :07
8. Dries Devenyns (IAM) + :08
9. Sylvain Chavanel (DEN) + :09
10. Jerome Coppel (IAM) + :09

Points Classification
1. Michael Matthews (OGE) 15
2. Tom Dumoulin (TGA) 12
3. Patrick Bevin (CPT) 9