Cycling: Thomas gets Sky rolling with victory in Romandie prologue

Geraint Thomas is congratulated following his victory yesterday (Getty Images)

Beijing gold medallist – and London Olympics contender – Geraint Thomas got Team Sky's groundwork for the Tour de France under way in style with a stunning prologue win yesterday in the six-day Tour of Romandie in Switzerland.

The 25-year-old from Cardiff they call "G" outshone two better-known team-mates – world champion Mark Cavendish, third yesterday, and Bradley Wiggins, 11th – in the short, technical race along Lausanne's streets.

Sky's sports director in Romandie, Sean Yates, said the performance augured well for the team's season. "The majority of the team here is Tour de France orientated, we've got our top riders for the Tour like Bradley and Mark here, and this has come at just the right time to get things going," Yates told The Independent. "Romandie is a big, big race, and this is a great result, a momentous occasion."

Yates said Thomas's win was no shock as "he's just been part of the GB [track] squad that set the world team pursuit record in Australia." He added: "We'll fight to defend Geraint's lead here, there's four days of road racing before the final time-trial, so we'll try and keep it all under the hat till then." Cavendish could be up for a bunch sprint win, too – starting today.