The Canberra export was an unlikely winner 12 months ago and Hayman believes he has unlocked the secret to success at his favourite race.

"Before [last year] I thought winning was so far out of the realms of what I was capable of, but now that I've done it I feel like anything is possible," Hayman said.

"I'd been trying to get a result there for so many years and putting so much pressure on myself and then last year I went in relaxed and just happy to be racing after coming back from injury.

"If I've learned anything from last year it's just to ride with that same ease and not be as hard on myself which is what made me push too hard previously and make mistakes."

Hayman knows he won't be able to fly under the radar this year as the veteran cyclist goes from the hunter to the hunted.

"Being a defending champion I don't think I'll get the treatment I got last year and at the pointy end of the race I might not be able to hide as well as I did," Hayman said.

"I was an outsider last year and betting on an outsider two years in a row your chances are pretty low, but I've got a cobblestone at home and I don't need to prove anything to anybody."

Known in the cycling community as a tireless workhorse for his Orica-Scott teammates, Hayman admitted it's nice to be recognised as the main man once a year.

"There are certain personality traits of winners and it's hard to switch that on and get that killer instinct for one day a year when you're so used to doing something else," Hayman said.

"But this is the race I look forward to the most and it's hard not to get excited when you're riding over those cobbles with the crowds."

Hayman and is wife welcomed twins in February and celebrating his 39th birthday next week, the Australian champion knows he isn't getting any younger.

The 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games gold medallist said he could be retired by the time the Gold Coast edition rolls around in 12 months.

"It's been a long time at this level and any kind of major injury at this point could possibly be the end of it, I don't want to sound too pessimistic but I'm not 25 anymore," Hayman said.

"Retirement is around the corner at any point really but to be honest deep down there is a part of me that says I'm not really finished with the sport yet.

"There's a few more races after this then I'll head into a training camp and hopefully you'll see me riding in the Tour de France again this July."