Described as "unbeatable" and "the best" by many of cycling's luminaries ahead of his third Tour de France, Mark Cavendish will begin his bid for the fabled green jersey in Monaco today.

While the likes of Alberto Contador and his Astana team-mate Lance Armstrong will be bidding for the yellow jersey (the maillot jaune) awarded to the overall race leader, Cavendish is targeting a haul of stage wins which could deliver the points classification crown and a first Tour jersey for Britain since the solitary success 25 years ago, when Scotland's Robert Millar won the 1984 King of the Mountains title.

The Manxman, who won four Tour stages in 2008, is unlikely to make an impression at the top of the leaderboard in the prologue this afternoon.

Not the greatest time-trial rider, the undulating 15.5-kilometre course around the Principality is another factor against the 24-year-old Team Columbia-HTC sprinter.

However, having equalled Chris Boardman's British record of 41 professional in last month's Tour of Switzerland, Cavendish is the leading contender of the three British riders in the field - David Millar and Bradley Wiggins will be riding in the Garmin-Slipstream colours.

But with 10 of the 21 stages rated flat, Cavendish has an abundance of opportunities to prove his standing as the world's leading sprinter.

"He's the best," Cavendish's team-mate George Hincapie said

Hincapie, who will act as a bodyguard for Cavendish throughout the 21-stage, 3,500km, six-country Tour, which finishes in Paris on Sunday July 26, should know.

The 36-year-old, entering his 14th Tour, has ended up on the winning team on eight occasions, seven with Armstrong, who makes returns today for the first time since 2005, while also triumphing with Contador, who many predict will regain the title he won in 2007.

"I think he's going to be focusing on winning stages - and I think the green jersey, if he has a really successful Tour, will come just by doing that," added the American.

Cavendish has abandoned the Tour in each of his previous two appearances - in 2007 after stage eight and after four stage victories in 2008 to concentrate on the Beijing Olympics, which were ultimately a disappointment as he suffered the ignominy of being the only member of Britain's track team to return without a medal.

But Sean Kelly, who won the points jersey at four Tours de France, and David Millar, who begins his eighth Tour today, expect Cavendish to triumph if he reaches Paris unscathed on Sunday, July 26.

"He's unbeatable in the big sprints," Kelly, who will be commentating on the race for British Eurosport, said.

Millar added: "If he makes it to Paris, it's pretty much impossible to beat him (in the points competition)."

The 96th Tour de France travels 3,500 kilometres, visiting six countries, with Monaco hosting the Grand Depart for the first time.

Millar and Wiggins are capable of success in the prologue, with the latter's climbing particularly impressive in May's Giro d'Italia.

Cavendish will wait for his shot at glory, with tomorrow's second stage from Monaco to Brignoles representing his first chance to emulate his achievements 12 months ago.

Charles Wegelius' presence means four Britons will be competing after he was called into the Silence-Lotto team following Thomas Dekker's positive test for EPO.