Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland won the opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday, with seven-time champion Lance Armstrong placing a respectable 10th for the start of his comeback to the sport's biggest event.

Cancellara took 19 minutes, 32 seconds for the 15.5km (9.6-mile) time-trial, in which riders set off one by one along winding and hilly roads of the Mediterranean principality of Monaco.

"I am really proud," Cancellara said. "I did the maximum possible."

A speed specialist who won last month's Tour of Switzerland and the time-trial gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, Cancellara had been seen as a favorite for the opening stage.

The race against the clock offered an early shakeout of the potential title contenders among the 180-rider pack for the three-week race. This 96th Tour takes riders over nearly 3,500km before the July 26 finish in Paris.

Cancellara blew away the field, beating 2007 Tour champion Alberto Contador into second by 18 seconds. Bradley Wiggins, who won gold in Beijing in the individual pursuit, was third, 19 seconds behind.

Indicating his power, Cancellara overtook Giro d'Italia winner Denis Menchov — who left 90 seconds earlier down the start ramp — just metres from the finish line.

Cancellara, of the Saxo Bank team, will wear the overall race leader's yellow jersey for Sunday's second stage — a 187km jaunt across plains from Monaco to Brignoles, France.

Armstrong, who was 40 seconds behind Cancellara, is riding four years after the last of his record seven Tour victories. He said he didn't have any "big illusions" that he'd win Saturday's time-trial.

"I didn't expect to win or to take the jersey," he said. "I didn't expect a super, super performance. Was I focused enough? Yeah, I think so — I was nervous, which is logical with the years away. I didn't feel necessarily comfortable.

"It's been a long time since I've had that emotion of being on the start ramp at the Tour.

Provisional result of the 15.5km time trial first stage of the Tour de France in Monaco on Saturday

1. Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland / Saxo Bank ) 19mins 32sec
2. Alberto Contador (Spain / Astana ) +18"
3. Bradley Wiggins (Britain / Garmin ) +19"
4. Andreas Kloeden (Germany / Astana ) +22"
5. Cadel Evans (Australia / Silence - Lotto ) +23"
6. Levi Leipheimer (U.S. / Astana ) +30"
7. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic / Liquigas ) +32"
8. Tony Martin (Germany / Columbia )
9. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Liquigas ) +38"
10. Lance Armstrong (U.S. / Astana ) +40"
11. Gustav Larsson (Sweden / Saxo Bank ) +42"
12. Mikel Astarloza (Spain / Euskaltel ) +44"
13. David Zabriskie (U.S. / Garmin ) +48"
14. David Millar (Britain / Garmin )
15. Jerome Coppel (France / Francaise des Jeux ) +52"
16. Sylvain Chavanel (France / Quick-Step ) +56"
17. Christian Vande Velde (U.S. / Garmin ) +58"
18. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg / Saxo Bank ) +1:00"
19. Linus Gerdemann (Germany / Milram ) +1:04"
20. Remi Pauriol (France / Cofidis ) +1:05"
21. Carlos Sastre (Spain / Cervelo ) +1:06"
22. Vladimir Karpets (Russia / Katusha ) +1:08"
23. Alessandro Ballan (Italy / Lampre ) +1:10"
24. Maxime Monfort (Belgium / Columbia ) +1:11"
25. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Belgium / Silence - Lotto )
26. Laurent Lefevre (France / Bbox - Bouygues ) +1:12"
27. Michael Rogers (Australia / Columbia ) +1:13"
28. Nicolas Vogondy (France / Agritubel )
29. Christophe Riblon (France / AG2R ) +1:14"
30. Juan Jose Oroz (Spain / Euskaltel )