The Swiss stage race traditionally started with an ultra-short race against the clock. On the 3.4-kilometer course, Brennan stopped the clock at 4 minutes and 40 seconds. At the end of the day, he finished in 15th place. Brennan's compatriot Watson was the fastest of the day with a time of 4 minutes and 33 seconds.

"We came for more. We had hoped to compete for the podium spots, but unfortunately it didn't work out," sports director Maarten Wynants said. "Matthew was a bit disappointed. He didn't really understand where he had lost those seven seconds. A prologue is always fair, so we'll have to deal with it. Tomorrow another chance awaits."

Team Visma | Lease a Bike is aiming for a good classification in Romandie with Jørgen Nordhagen and also wants to have a shot at a stage win with Brennan. "I think there are chances in the next three days, with tomorrow being the biggest. It's never easy to grab a stage win, so we have to fight really hard for it."