2014 could be the year Peter Sagan’s domination at the Tour of California finally ends. In just five editions, he has notched up 10 stage wins (a record) and 4 Points Jerseys. But this year he faces some stern competition from the likes of Mark Cavendish and John Degenkolb as well as Matt Goss.

"I came here for the first time five years ago and won two stages," Sagan said at the pre-race press conference Friday afternoon. "And then every year I found more victories. Maybe it was a little bit easy last year and maybe before because we were missing Mark [Cavendish] and we were missing Goss. We will see this year, but I don't know. This year is going to be harder."

The very first stage should end in a bunch sprint and will be the first indication of whether or not Sagan will dominate once more. Not only are Cavendish and Goss fast, they bring strong teams too. Cav can call on Paris-Roubaix winner Niki Terpstra as well as Matteo Trentin, Tom Boonen and Guillaume van Kiesbluck. Goss has Adam Yates and three-time Tour de Romandie stage winner Michael Albasini.

Cavendish hopes his team can deliver him the green points jersey this time around. "Hopefully the green jersey will come from that," Cavendish said. "The race really only has two sprint opportunities this year, maybe a third, but it will be a very, very reduced field for that very last sprint around the course this year. But you know, I'm here and I enjoy trying to win those stages."

Local fast man Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly-Maxis0 weighed in with his opinion.

"The great thing about the Tour of California is that there are stages like Santa Barbara and Pasadena that suit a little more climber style of sprinter," said Jelly Belly's Rodriguez. "I think that's where my strong suit is. If I get my opportunity on the fast ones, I'm going to give it everything I have to get up there and get a result. There are a lot of options here, but this course definitely suits Peter [Sagan] the best as an overall to try and get the green jersey."

With those lumpy stages in mind, Sagan was asked if he would struggle to have the fun he has had in the last half decade in the race and take both stages and the points jersey. His answer was a blunt "No, I don't think so."