Etixx - Quick-Step finisher Zdenek Stybar earned an 18th place finish, 10" down on Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant-Alpecin), winner of the 5.4km Tour de Suisse prologue with a time of 5'41" (53.842km/h) on Saturday.

Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) finished 2nd, 2 seconds down, with Matthias Brandle (IAM Cycling) earning 3rd. 

Stybar averaged 52.308km/h along the parcours, which included some up-and-down in the early portion, with a flat finish. Matteo Trentin also finished 29th, 12" down, and Mark Cavendish 39th, 16" down.

With the Tour de Suisse Stybar bega the second part of his season. In Switzerland he wants to prepare himself for a possible participation in the Tour de France. “But it is still not sure whether I’ll start there.”

“Because I’ve been out of competition for so long, it’s hard to say where I am now with my condition. Still, I want to do well in the Tour de Suisse and perhaps try to do something in one of the stages. There are a few stages that suit me well.”

But there are also Mark Cavendish and Michal Kwiatkowski. “I’d like to help Cavendish to a stage victory or maybe two. And our world champion Kwiatkowski is perhaps going for a good place in the overall ranking.”

A week after the Tour de Suisse there is the national championship, where he wants to defend his title. And a week after that the Tour de France will start. “My participation in both races depends on when Ine is giving birth to our baby.”

“My team Etixx-Quick Step is supporting me in this decision to be with Ine when the baby will come. I secretly hope it all works out well, and maybe I could still start in my first Tour de France.”

Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to Stage 2 on Sunday. The second stage is considered medium mountain, but features two Category 2, and two Category 1 climbs along the parcours. The final Category 1 climb is at the 148.4km mark, leaving slightly less than 13 miles of descending into the finish.