 Cancellara proved his credentials as Olympic and world champion
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Britons David Millar and Geraint Thomas produced superb rides to finish third and fifth as Swiss Fabian Cancellara won the Tour de France prologue.
German Tony Martin set the target of 10 minutes, 10 seconds in Rotterdam.
Welshman Thomas, of Team Sky, finished 13 seconds adrift before Scot Millar, riding for Garmin, got within 10.
But Cancellara powered into the yellow jersey with Lance Armstrong fourth, Alberto Contador sixth and Bradley Wiggins 56 seconds back in 77th.
Wiggins, who won the Giro d'Italia prologue in Amsterdam in May, was sent out among the earlier starters by Team Sky in the hope that he could benefit before the forecast rain materialised.
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It is always nice when you beat someone as good as Brad, no matter what the conditions
Geraint Thomas
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But the showers started almost as soon as the Londoner headed down the start ramp and he was 21 seconds slower than Martin at the intermediate time-check, losing more time in the second half.
"I was pretty happy with the way I felt physically and the numbers in front of me," Wiggins said afterwards. "I didn't want to chance anything.
"I have said all along the prologue wasn't the be-all and end-all for me. I am just pleased to get round in one piece - I felt good and did what I had to do.
"I couldn't push it to the limit on the corners and risk a crash where I might have lost three or four minutes. The prologue is so insignificant in the big scheme of things - it is a matter of seconds whereas it will be minutes in the mountains."
Nevertheless Wiggins is already 34 seconds behind seven-time champion Armstrong, who looked in good form as he begins his final Tour, and 29 seconds behind overall favourite Contador.
Wiggins' team-mate Thomas, the new British road race champion, was delighted with his own effort.
"It is nice to do a good ride, especially in a race like this," he said. "People like Brad probably took it a bit easier than me on the corners because they can't risk a crash.
"But it is always nice when you beat someone as good as Brad, no matter what the conditions.
"From now I just switch to being there for Brad and doing what is asked of me."
Millar, who won the prologue in 2000, described his own ride as "not so bad".
"It was good to get it out the way on a very fast course," he said. "It was not at all technical, and even with the wet roads you could really go fast."
More to follow.
Prologue result:
1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi/Saxo Bank) 10 minutes, 0 seconds
2 Tony Martin (Ger/HTC-Columbia) + 10 seconds
3 David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 20"
4 Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack) + 22"
5 Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) + 23"
6 Alberto Contador (Spa/Astana) + 27"
7 Tyler Ferrar (USA/Garmin) + 28"
7 Levi Lepheimer (USA/RadioShack) +28"
9 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Team Sky) +32"
10 Linus Gerdemnn (Ger/Milram) +35"
Selected others:
77 Bradley Wiggins (GB/Team Sky) + 56
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