Team HTC-HighRoad's Mark Cavendish (Isle of Man) crowned his first ever green points jersey win in the Tour de France with a third straight stage victory on the Champs Elysées.

The Manxman took an impressive fifth sprint stage win of the 2011 Tour de France at the end of a 95 kilometer parade stage from Creteil to Champs Elysees in Paris, blasting across the finish line in front of thousands of spectators and ahead of Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) and Germany's Andre Greipel (Team Omega Pharma-Lotto).

The first British rider ever to win the points jersey, Cavendish told the press after the Tour finish that there could not have been a better way to round off his battle for green than with the twentieth stage win of his career in the Tour de France.

"I finally got it, but it didn't come easy," Cavendish said and continued "I really had to fight for it all the way to the last finish line and I'm very tired, but it was worth all that effort."

"I had eight fantastic teammates around me all the way, they kept working with me, I was close to getting it for the last two years and now it's finally here, Cavendish added and concluded "I'm so happy, it's incredible. It's a great way to finish the Tour and a super, super emotional day for me."

Cadel Evans took the overall Tour de France victory and has taken over the throne as defending Tour de France champion. Evans is the first Australian to capture cycling's most prestigious title.

The 34-year-old Evans celebrated after crossing the finish line on the Champs-Elysees, embracing all his teammates as the massive crowd on France's most famous thoroughfare cheered wildly.

Later he bounded up the steps onto the podium, taking deep breaths, then appeared at the top looking calm and waved the bouquet he received in the air.

Wrapped in an Australian flag, Evans looked close to tears as the Australian national hymn was performed live on the podium by a singer standing near him. He was joined on the podium by the Schleck brothers of Luxembourg - Andy, who finished second overall for the third straight year, and Frank, who ended in third position.

Photo Fotoreporter Sirotti.

Evans is the oldest winner of the Tour de France since World War II, narrowly eclipsing Gino Bartali of Italy - who was also 34, but slightly younger - when he won in 1948. The all-time record was set by 36-year-old Firmin Lambot of Belgium - in 1922.

Wearing the yellow Tour leader's yellow jersey, BMC Racing team leader Evans celebrated with a glass of champagne as the riders made their way into Paris in relaxed tempo.

After starting the stage on a specially painted yellow bike, Evans switched back to his normal bike. A team spokesman said he wanted to finish the Tour on the bike that he'd won the Tour on.

This year's edition of the 108-year-old race featured one of the most exciting finishes in years - and without a serious doping blight that marred past Tours.

Seven or eight riders were still in competition for the victory during the climbs of the Alps in the final week. Evans looked at one point to have lost his chance, when Andy Schleck rode away from the others on the Galibier pass. But he held his nerve, kept fighting in impressive fashion, and finished well ahead of Schleck in the time trial on Saturday to guarantee his victory.

Photo Fotoreporter Sirotti.

Before setting off on Sunday, riders removed their helmets and observed a minute of silence in tribute to the victims of the terrible attacks in and near Oslo in Norway which took place on Friday.

"When this kind of thing happens, everybody forgets about the sport," Norwegian rider Thor Hushovd of Team Garmin-Cervélo said. "It's not even important in comparison.

"It's quite nice that everybody thinks of us. We're a small country. Unfortunately this can happen anywhere."

Hushovd and Boasson Hagen won two stages each in this year's Tour de France.

Click here for complete stage 21 results and additional photos.