ASCONA, Switzerland (AP) Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland carried over his one-day classics form to win the prologue of the Tour of Romandie on Tuesday.
The Polish rider, who placed third at the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Walloon Arrow last week, clocked 6 minutes, 22 seconds for the 5.6-kilometer (3.5-mile) course near the Switzerland-Italy border.
Rohan Dennis of Australia trailed Kwiatkowski by four seconds. Third-place Marcel Kittel of Germany had the same time.
The 23-year-old Kwiatkowski told Swiss broadcaster RTS ''that's the first stage win in a World Tour race for me.''
Defending champion Chris Froome of Britain was 13th-fastest, trailing by 10 seconds.
The winner of the six-day Romandie race has won the Tour de France for the past three years.
The second stage Wednesday is a 203-kilometer (126.1-mile) ride from Ascona to Sion.
