Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) has drawn first blood in the Tour of Romandy. The 24-year-old Basque earned his first professional victory by winning the prologue on a 3.5-km, flat, technical course in Martigny in 3:40.42. Castroviejo edged American wunderkind Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) by 0.27, with Australian Howard Leigh (HTC-Highroad) taking third at 0.73.

Dennis Van Winden (Rabobank) set the early standard. The Dutchman posted a 3:43.40, a time which held until Geoffroy Lequatre (RadioShack) bettered it with a 3:42.37. Howard took the lead with his time, but Phinney grabbed the lead in turn shortly thereafter.

This season is Castroviejo's second as a pro, and he had shown signs that he was approaching a breakthrough. He finished eighth in the Stage 7 time trial at the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico and had finished second in a time trial at the 2010 Tour of Asturias and fifth at last year's Spanish national time trial championship. Still, the Euskaltel-Euskadi rider surprised everyone, including himself, with his victory. "We came into today's time trial to do our best and rank high in the GC," Castroviejo said. "After what happened this afternoon, my mentality has changed, now I can go out and win. I've always been very good at time trials, but to win a prologue like the Tour de Romandie is a major leap."

Castroviejo will be hard pressed to keep his overall lead. Stage 1 will be a mountainous, 172.6-km ride from Martigny to Leysin that will feature two Category 1 climbs in the last 30 km, including the climb to the finish. Will the Euskaltel-Euskadi man fend off the climbers? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and find out!