And he will expect to stay in red with a sprint finish in Marbella on Sunday, at the end of a 173.7km stage.

BBC: Cavendish in red

Armitstead, 23, from Otley near Leeds, was beaten to the gold at the end of the 140-kilometre race by Holland's Marianne Vos in a sprint finish on The Mall.

BBC: London 2012: Team GB wins first Olympic medals