Last year Marcel Kittel claimed the position as the fastest sprinter in the world when he won four stages in the Tour de France and this has led to suggestions that Mark Cavendish is over the top. However, Kittel is under no illusions when it comes to the challenge in the upcoming Tour de France and describes the Manxman as his key rival.

Since he won four stages in the 2011 Tour de Pologne, Marcel Kittel had given indications that he was maybe the fastest rider in the world but for some time bad luck prevented him from showing it on the biggest scene. Illness took him out of his maiden Tour de France in 2012 and even though he beat Mark Cavendish in smaller races, the German could not claim himself to faster than his British rival.

That all changed 12 months ago when the German convincingly beat Cavendish on several occasions in the Tour de France and returned home with four stage victories in his pocket. This year the scene is set for the big revenge as Kittel will be back for more and Cavendish returns with a strengthened lead-out train.

Kittel and Cavendish haven't clashed a lot in 2014 so far. In the Dubai Tour, Kittel beat his British rival three times in a row but when they last raced against each other in Tirreno-Adriatico, they never got the chance to test themselves against each other. In the first sprint stage, Kittel came down in a crash and in the final one, the German was dropped on a late climb.

Last year's dominant performance has led to suggestions that 29-year-old Cavendish is already over the top but Kittel refuses those claims. In fact he still regards the Omega Pharma-Quick Step leader as his main rival.

“I think he is not an old rider; I still think he is a very good sprinter,” Kittel told CyclingTips. “Especially with his team in support for this year’s Tour and all the races in general.

“He will be our enemy number one. We will concentrate on Quick Step and also Lotto [André Greipel’s Lotto Belisol team] when we go in the sprints in the Tour.”

Asked about his objectives for the Tour, Kittel remains modest.

“For me personally, there are two goals that I would like to reach,” he said. “One of them is to win a stage. The other one is to finish the Tour de France.”

Like last year, a sprinter is expected to take the first yellow jersey of the race. 12 months ago Kittel was the first rider to wear the coveted tunic and he can make it two in a row on Saturday in Harrogate.

“I didn’t mention it directly,” he answered. “The first stage…I think it is a good stage for us and the team. It could be very difficult, but it could also be controlled. Hopefully it will end in a sprint with the whole peloton. In that case, I would like to use that opportunity.

“If it’s the case that the stage is very hard, we still have John [Degenkolb] as a sprinter. That [selective] race would suit him perfectly. I think we as a team don’t have to worry about that.”

Despite his many stage wins, Kittel was far off the mark in the battle for last year's green jersey. With this year's route clearly favouring defending champion Peter Sagan, Kittel is not too sure that he will target the points competition.

“I don’t know if I should already have that directly on my goals for this year,” he admitted. “I think it is enough also for 2014 to concentrate on the stages and on finishing the race.”