Michael Matthews has won the Prologue in the Paris-Nice race.
This year's race to the sun, started with a 6.1km prologue from Conflans, where it was snowing to Sainte-Honorine.
LottoNL-Jumbo's Jos van Emden was one of the early starters and he clocked a time of 7.54 to take the lead.
British rider Ian Stannard finished in 8.08 before Jerome Coppell of IAM Cycling set a new fastest time of 7.48 beating Wiilco Kelderman's 7.52.
That lasted until Movistar's Jesus Herrada finished in a time of 7.45. Now the race favourites were on the course. after Patrick Bevin of Cannondale took over the lead in a time of 7.41.
Tom Dumoulin of Giant Alpecin thought he had won it with a time of 7.40 but in came Michael Matthews of Orica GreenEdge in a time of 7.39 to be in the leader's jersey for stage one on Monday.
1 Michael Matthews Orica-GreenEdge 7:39
2 Tom Dumoulin Giant-Alpecin 7:40
3 Patrick Bevin Cannondale 7:41
4 Jesus Herrada Movistar Team 7:45
5 Jon Izaguirre Movistar Team 7:45
6 Lieuwe Westra Astana Pro Team 7:46
7 Geraint Thomas Team Sky 7:46
8 Dries Devenyns IAM Cycling 7:47
9 Sylvain Chavanel Direct Energie 7:48
10 Jerome Coppel IAM Cycling 7:48