LAVAL, France -- Tadej Pogacar waited until the penultimate stage to take control of the Tour de France last year.
The young Slovenian rider did it after only five stages this summer with a stunning display in Wednesday's time trial.
In the first big battle between the main contenders -- a 16.9-mile test against the clock coming early in the race -- Pogacar reigned supreme, powering to victory to assert himself as the favorite at the showcase event.
"Today was a really good day for me. I didn't do any mistakes," Pogacar said.
The 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates leader did not seize the yellow jersey but gained time over his main rivals.
Pogacar was 44 seconds faster than last year's runner-up, Primoz Roglic, while 2018 champion Geraint Thomas dropped 1 minute, 18 seconds. Richard Carapaz, a former Giro champion with big ambitions at the Tour this year, was 1:44 off the pace.
World champion Julian Alaphilippe was among the day's losers, 1:11 off Pogacar's pace.
"The goal was not to lose time, but I gained time so I'm super happy. I'm just excited for the whole Tour," Pogacar said.
Pogacar lagged 39 seconds behind leader Mathieu van der Poel at the start of Stage 5 in the western Mayenne region on Wednesday and erased a big chunk of the deficit to move into second place in the general classification.
Van der Poel has limited abilities in high mountains and is not expected to remain in the mix once the race reaches the Alps later this week.
![Slovenia's Primoz Roglic crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)]()
Slovenia's Primoz Roglic crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)
![Switzerland's Stefan Kung crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (Christophe Petit-Tesson, Pool Photo via AP)]()
Switzerland's Stefan Kung crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (Christophe Petit-Tesson, Pool Photo via AP)
![Slovenia's Primoz Roglic competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)]()
Slovenia's Primoz Roglic competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
![Switzerland's Stefan Kung competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)]()
Switzerland's Stefan Kung competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
![Britain's Geraint Thomas crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (Christophe Petit-Tesson, Pool Photo via AP)]()
Britain's Geraint Thomas crosses the finish line of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (Christophe Petit-Tesson, Pool Photo via AP)
![Britain's Geraint Thomas competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)]()
Britain's Geraint Thomas competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
![Netherland's Mathieu Van Der Poel wears the overall leader's yellow jersey on the podium of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)]()
Netherland's Mathieu Van Der Poel wears the overall leader's yellow jersey on the podium of the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
![Netherland's Mathieu Van Der Poel, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)]()
Netherland's Mathieu Van Der Poel, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, competes during the fifth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 27.2 kilometers (16.9 miles) with start in Change and finish in Laval Espace Mayenne, France, Wednesday, June 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
