Bradley Wiggins has become the first ever Briton to win the Tour de France, after triumphantly gliding down the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
In the 99th edition of the sport's most fabled race, the 32-year-old Londoner knew he was on the cusp of victory as he rode Sunday's 120-kilometre 20th stage from Rambouillet to the the French capital.
Wiggins had stretched his lead during Saturday's 33-mile time-trial leg from Bonneval to Chartres to ensure Sunday's route was a victory procession ahead of accepting the yellow jersey.
Chris Froome, his Team Sky colleague, finished second on the podium.
The three-time Olympic champion is now widely tipped to claim the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after his historic success across the Channel. Should he claim the accolade, he will be the third cyclist to win it in four years, after Sir Chris Hoy (2008) and Mark Cavendish (2011).
Cavendish celebrates
Cavendish meanwhile won the final sprint on the Champs-Élyseés for the fourth time in his career after the 120-kilometre route.
He has now won on one of the world's most famous boulevards in each of the Tours he has completed - in 2009, 2010, 2011 and now in 2012.
The 27-year-old The 27-year-old's victories in stage two and 18 means he now has 23 Tour stage wins, moving above Lance Armstrong and Andre Darrigade into fourth place in the all-time list.
For Team Sky, it is the realisation of a dream sooner than expected. Launched in 2010 with the stated aim of winning the Tour with a clean British rider within five years, Dave Brailsford's squad, through Wiggins and Froome, they have achieved another milestone.
Froome's podium finish makes it the first time two riders from the same nation have finished first and second in the Tour since 1984, when Laurent Fignon finished ahead of Bernard Hinault after three weeks of racing.