Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s Wilco Kelderman finished 14th in Paris-Nice’s prologue on Sunday. Australian Michael Matthews of Orica-GreenEdge won the 6.1-kilometre time trial through the streets of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine ahead of Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) and Patrick Bevin (Cannondale).

Kelderman opted for an early start because rain was due later in the day. The 24-year-old Dutchman held the lead a long time but was knocked down the rankings to 14th.

"I expected more. I was counting on a top five,” Kelderman said after his race. "I started early and now I don’t know if that was the right choice. But I can build on this even if I’m not satisfied. I feel good and I’ll concentrate on the rest of the race and the general classification.”

Sport Director Frans Maassen described fair conditions. "I did not have the impression that there was more wind at the end of the day. It was fair and we had the same conditions for everyone. The only thing was that it was slightly colder earlier in the day. I had also expected more. The whole of the team performed well, but we missed that top result. On the other hand, the race is long and we will have plenty of opportunities.”

Tomorrow is a difficult and dangerous stage. The organisation mapped out a course that covers some unpaved sections in the final.

"Tomorrow is a special day," Maassen continued. "All classification riders must fight. The gravel roads are on the local lap. The gravel and the wind will make it a very nervous race. Today, I saw that Sep Vanmarcke is good. He and Wilco are the men we will protect and take to the final."