Russia's Pavel Brutt (Team Katusha) saw boldness pay off at last when he won the 172.6-km first stage of the 2011 Tour of Romandie today.

The Katusha rider, known for his swashbuckling but usually unsuccessful victory bids, joined forces with three other riders soon after the start in Martigny and used the three climbs to drop them one by one and cross the line on his own in Leysin.

Winner of a Giro d'Italia stage in 2008, Brutt dislodged Team Euskaltel's Jonathan Castroviejo from top spot after the Spaniard won yesterday's prologue and now comfortably leads two of his breakaway companions overall.

Ukraine's Oleksandr Kavachuk is second, one minute behind and Belarus rider Branislav Samoilav is third, 1:22 back.

The fourth man in the day's long break was Australian Jack Bobridge, the pursuit world champion, who fought bravely to hold fourth place on a terrain not favouring his skills.

The peloton, including most of the favourites, crossed the line in the mountain resort of Leysin two minutes behind having reacted too late to catch the breakaway group.

"It was very hard today because of a strong headwind in the first 50 kms. But I was strong," Brutt told reporters after being celebrated on the podium.

The solid Russian now leads significantly and can hope to prosper given the Leysin stage is the only serious mountain ride in this edition, ddespite his reticence.

"But I'm not a general classification rider, more a stage hunter," he said.

Among the big names still in contention, Kazakh Alexander Vinokourov (Team Astana) is now 02:04 back in fifth place, while Team BMC Racing's 2009 world champion Cadel Evans of Australia is seventh, 2:06 adrift.

Thursday's second stage takes the peloton over 171.8 kilometers from Romont and returning back to the picturesque medieval city.

The race ends on May 1 - a week before the start of the Giro d'Italia 2011 from which you can watch video highlights from every stage right here on Roadcycling.com.