London - Mark Cavendish is joining ambitious Team Sky from next season as he links up with the fellow Britons who took him to world road glory last month.

The green jersey winner from the Tour de France is leaving current team HTC Highroad after the American outfit said it was folding at the end of the year.

“I've made a decision, I'm joining Team Sky next year,” Cavendish told Sky Sports News TV, whose parent company sponsors the British team.

“I'm super excited. I know there is a great setup there. They are probably the biggest team in cycling at the moment.”

The 26-year-old Isle of Man sprinter is the highest profile British cyclist having won 20 Tour de France stages since 2008.

He became the first British cyclist in 46 years to win the world road race title in Denmark, riding alongside future Team Sky team mates Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas.

“He is a very good team player even if he is the guy who tends to finish it off,” Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford said.

“Mark is the greatest sprinter of his generation and is well on his way to becoming the greatest of all time,” he added in a statement. “He is a rider of exceptional talent who has proved his pedigree at the very highest level of our sport.”

Cavendish will be joined by HTC team mate Bernhard Eisel of Austria, Team Sky said. The 30-year-old Eisel has been supporting Cavendish for five years within HTC.

Cavendish joining Team Sky's group of mainly British riders could also boost Britain's hopes of success at next year's Olympics on home soil in London.

Team Sky, formed to give British cycling some punch in the professional sphere, only started competing in 2010 but have made rapid progress.

“Cav joining Team Sky is fantastic news,” new team mate Thomas said in a statement. “In many ways it's like he's coming home - the team has a number of riders and support staff that he grew up with and it won't take him any time to settle in.” - Reuters