While Renshaw was not expected to feature in the opening stage, he still clocked a reasonable 21 minutes, 47 seconds for the course which featured not only a climb over the first seven kilometres but some tight, technical corners in the run to the finishing line.

Riding for Team Columbia-Highroad, it is over the next four days that Renshaw will more likely be at the head of the field as he attempts to successfully lead out his captain Mark Cavendish for a stage win.

It was Switzerland’s Olympic time trial champion Fabian Cancellara who claimed the honours on the opening day, taking the yellow jersey with his time of 19:32.14.

“I am quite proud, I put in the maximum possible effort,” the Saxo Bank team rider said.

“I was one of the favourites to win here before the race and I knew if I got things right it would be very difficult for my rivals to beat me.

“That was special motivation. I knew to take it easy on the climb, to avoid too much lactic acid in the legs, and then go hard on the flat. It really paid off.

“To be back in the yellow jersey again is a great achievement both for me and my team, I am proud of it.

“Now everyone now knows Cancellara is back and he is stronger.”

Having held the yellow jersey for a week in 2007 when he won the London prologue and then the stage three, Cancellara said he knew it was a good omen when he was given the same number 33 to wear here.

Seven-times Tour champion Lance Armstrong, back after nearly four years in retirement, showed he still has the potential to worry the leaders as he finished 10th in a time of 20:12 - 40 seconds behind the winner.

Armstrong’s Astana team-mate Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour winner, claimed second place, 18 seconds down, while Australian Cadel Evans was fifth (+23 seconds).