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Bradley Wiggins is all but guaranteed to become Britain's first ever Tour de France winner today and end what he has described as his "incredible road" into the history books.
Wiggins confirmed his dominance of this year's Tour yesterday, claiming the final time trial by more than a minute from team mate Chris Froome.
He has kept his emotions in check for the past three weeks but he punched the air with delight when he crossed the line in Chartres.
"In the last 10 kilometres of that time trial a lot of thoughts were spurring me on," Wiggins said.
"Like about when I was growing up and thinking as a kid that I wanted to win the Tour, but what chance did a 12-year-old form Kilburn have of doing that? First the Olympics and the World Championships, and now this.
"It's been an incredible road."
Already a triple Olympic gold medalist, Wiggins will now be remembered as the rider who ended Britain's 109-year wait for victory in sport's toughest endurance event.
Until today, no British rider has even stood on the final podium, let alone in the top spot. Only two have taken secondary classifications, Robert Millar in the King of the Mountains category in 1984 and Mark Cavendish in the points jersey for best sprinter in 2011.
In Paris this afternoon there will be two Brits on the podium with Wiggins' Team Sky team mate Chris Froome the runner up.
Today's final stage is a 75-mile procession from the leafy Paris suburb of Rambouillet to centre of the French capital - where Team Sky will try to help Mark Cavendish to his fourth successive victory on the Champs Élysées.
