World champion Peter Sagan opens Tour of California with win

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:07 p.m. ET

foxsports

SAN DIEGO (AP) World champion Peter Sagan unleashed his powerful sprint at the last possible moment, overcoming Wouter Wippert and Dylan Groenewegen to win the opening stage of the Tour of California on Sunday.

The Slovakian superstar was quiet in the peloton all day before freelancing his way through the field at the end, winning his record-extending 14th stage by a half-tire length.

The 109-mile trek began on the San Diego waterfront and included only one serious climb, midway through the route. But there was plenty of time for the field to come together again on the run-in to the finish in San Diego, setting up a frantic sprint near the Pacific Coast.

Sagan once more earned the overall leader's jersey, which he kept to the finish last year.