Mark Cavendish is determined to claim the yellow jersey in the opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday.

The Omega Pharma-Quick Step rider won his first senior British title in Glasgow on Sunday - earning him the right to wear the white jersey with red and blue bands for the next 12 months.

However, Cavendish hopes to be able to swap that jersey for another one which he covets even more. A 24th career stage win at La Grande Boucle tomorrow would put him in the maillot jaune for the first time for Sunday's second stage.

It is almost half a century since the last sprint opportunity to claim the yellow jersey on the opening stage of the Tour de France and Cavendish is determined to seize his opportunity.

"It's a big, big goal and a huge motivation for a team built around stage wins," said Cavendish when speaking to Skysport. “It's a strong group of sprinters this year. To get a win won't be easy, especially in the first stage of the Tour. History has shown it normally takes me a few days to get into a grand tour. Not at the Giro this year, but before that. I've altered my training to be able to go well in that first stage. We'll go for it, but you have to show the Tour de France respect - nothing's a given. We'll try our best and see what happens.”

Cavendish is fully aware that he will never compete for the overall at the Tour and thus he focuses his entire season on another Tour jersey – the green one.

"Physiologically I can't win the yellow jersey; I can't go away and practice climbing. The biggest goal for me every year is the green jersey. I was lucky to win it after a few attempts in 2011. It really is what my whole year is built around. There's other races that I target, but the green jersey in the Tour de France every year is what my whole career goes around."

Mark Cavendish is one of the main favourites for the points classification at this year’s Tour but he will face stern opposition from Peter Sagan (Cannondale) while Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) looks likely to threaten the Manx Man in the sprints.