Taylor Phinney (BMC) reached one of his big early-season targets when he beat Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) in the expected showdown between the two time trial giants on the opening stage of the Dubai Tour. Claiming that he only needed to brake twice on the flat course, he says that he produced a lot of watts and even exceeded his own expectations.

BMC Racing Team's Taylor Phinney won the BMC Racing Team's second race of the season Wednesday while teammate Stephen Cummings was runner-up in the individual time trial that began the Dubai Tour.

Phinney powered his bike to a time of 12 minutes and three seconds on the 9.9-kilometre out-and-back course. That was 14 seconds faster than Cummings and 16 seconds better than Lasse Norman Hansen (Garmin-Sharp), who was third.

Phinney said he asked Sport Director Max Sciandri to be one of the team's early starters among the 127 competitors in the inaugural edition of the race.

"I felt really good. I felt really strong," he said. "It was kind of a fight on the way back going into a headwind.

"I decided to go early because of the weather report. It looked like the wind was going to build up. I hope it was the same conditions for everyone, but I don't know. You want everyone to go at the same time, but it's not easy when there are 125 of you."

The past U.S. national time trial champion said he only braked twice: once for the U-turn at the midway point and once at a U-turn near the finish. The rest of the time he spent crouched low, with his forearms resting on his handlebars.

In addition to Phinney and Cummings, BMC Racing Team newcomer Peter Velits also finished in the top 10. The reigning Slovakian national time trial champion was 37 seconds off the winning time.

Cummings said he was not too disappointed to have been beaten by his own teammate.

"I tried my best, but I think Taylor did an exceptional ride," he said. "He was strong. It is a great start for this team. Everyone was strong though, not just the two of us. Like Yannick (Eijssen). He weighs about 60 kilos and he was 16th. It's incredible."

The victory was Phinney's first in a time trial since capturing the final stage of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge. Last month, the past Under 23 world time trial champion was runner-up in the Stage 5 time trial at the Tour de San Luis.

Phinney compared this winning effort to his solo victory on Stage 4 at the Tour de Pologne when he outwitted the sprinters by attacking with 7.7 km to go.

"I put out the power that I wanted to put out," he said. "It was really a lot of watts and very strong. I felt fine. It was really one of those courses where it was over before you know it."

Phinney admits that the stage had been a target for him ever since learning about it.

"If there's an event that's best for me, it's anything around 12 minutes and below," he said. "I haven't had many opportunities to ride short time trials since I've been pro - they seem to be phasing out short time trials and Prologues - so I was really happy when this course came out. It means a lot to win today.

"I've been thinking about this race since they came out with the race route weeks ago. I knew there would be some big names here. Specifically, Tony Martin is good in any time trial. especially on a road bike, so I'm overjoyed and relieved that I have won."

Phinney had a disappointing 2013 season and is pleased to start 2014 on a better note.

"After a disappointing 2013, I've had a good off-season," he said. "I'm fresh mentally and physically but I've also been training a lot. The team has a different approach this year: all the riders have individual goals, and I'm a goal-setting-type person, so I like that. Today was a big goal for me. I'm happy with the way my Dubai Tour has started."

With the three road stages expected to end in sprints and only limited bonus seconds on offer, Phinney is now the overwhelming favourite to win the race. However, he refuses to take anything for granted.

"The win is a big confidence booster for me," he said. "I thought I knew what I was capable of on a course like this, but I exceeded my expectations today.

"I haven't won the Dubai Tour yet. There are a lot of variables in this race: wind, climbs on stage 3, more wind on stage 4. All I can do is take it day by day. There's some strong competition here, but BMC has a good team, we have also Steve Cummings who is strong and in a good position, so I'm excited. It's a short race but it's going to be intense. A lot of things can happen over the next couple of days, we just have to stay calm, we have a good chance."

The BMC Racing Team's first win of the season came last month when Cadel Evans soloed to Stage 3 at the Santos Tour Down Under.