Nils Eekhoff shows time-trial prowess to take opening prologue at the ZLM Tour

Nils Eekhoff has won the opening prologue of the ZLM Tour and will wear the leaders jersey on tomorrow's opening stage.

The initial day of the ZLM Tour is a prologue that was expected to create important differences for the overall classification.

Setting down an early marker with his time of 7:33 was the leadout man for Mark Cavendish and the Astana Qazaqstan Team, Cees Bol.

His time was eventually beaten however, although only Sam Welsford and Nils Eekhoff had gone quicker by the time the final man off the start ramp, Olav Kooij made his entrance.

Maikel Zijlaard then went close to Eekhoff's time, just 3 seconds slower than his Dutch compatriot before Alex Edmondson went even closer, missing out by just a second.

With Kooij coming home in third, the win was Eekhoff's.