Dutch rider Thomas Dekker claimed the Tour de Romandie crown after powering to victory in the fifth stage time trial in Lausanne on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Team Rabobank star went into the final stage in third place, but completed the 20.4km city course in 26.36 minutes, five-and-a-half seconds ahead of closest rival Paolo Savoldelli, to become the first Dutchman to win the race since 1988.
Italian Savoldelli came second overall and fellow Astana rider Andrey Kascheckin took third after finishing in the same position in the time trial.
Dekker, the Dutch time trial champion in 2004 and 2005, said he was shocked by his victory.
"I'm happy but it's also a bit of a surprise because this Tour de Romandie was not on my schedule at the beginning of the season," he said.
"I expected to be on the podium, but not necessarily to win.
"I did not know I was so strong at that stage of the season. It's pretty big for me to beat big champions like Savoldelli and Kasheshkin today."
With the heavy rain of the last few days giving way to bright sunshine, Credit Agricole rider Laszlo Bodrogi set the first competitive time of the day after completing the course in 28 minutes flat.
The Hungarian's time stood for almost 45 minutes before Liquigas' Charley Wegelius, Marco Pinotti (T-Mobile Team), Denis Menchov (Rabobank), and Eddy Mazzolenti (Astana) all set new fastest times.
Kazahkstani rider Kascheckin became the first man to break the 27 minute barrier, coming home in 26:48, and was quickly followed by last year's winner Cadel Evans in 26:59.
Savoldelli then established a six second lead, but Dekker, riding immediately afterwards, stayed ahead of his time for virtually the entire route to record victory.
The race leader going into the final day, Chris Horner of Predictor-Lotto, finished seventh in a time of 27:31 to fall to fifth overall, while Euskaltel-Euskadi's Igor Anton, who started the day in second, finished it in seventh after only managing 41st place in the time trial.
