Bradley Wiggins finished second on the opening time trial of the 70th Paris-Nice race.
A 9.4km course from Dampierre-en-Yvelines to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse saw Geraint Thomas one of the early leaders.
Thomas De Gendt then took over as the quickest man before Vacansoleil's Gustav Larsson flew home in a time of 11.19.
Wiggins, the British time trial champion, was third from last to go, and rode well but could only finish a second behind the Swede.
Levi Leipheimer finished third with Geraint Thomas 32nd, Nicholas Roche finishing 80th
BMC's Tejay Van Garderen, who finished fourth leads the Young Riders category.