Egan Bernal became the youngest rider in 110 years to win the Tour de France after Caleb Ewan won the traditional sprint finish in Paris.
With the race leader not challenged on the final stage, 22-year-old Bernal became the first Colombian winner.
He crossed the line in the peloton, hand-in-hand with his Ineos team-mate and last year's winner Geraint Thomas, who finished second this time.
"To finish second behind a team-mate makes it OK," said Welshman Thomas.
"Two years ago I had my arm in a sling with a broken collarbone watching Chris Froome win, wishing I was riding and I would've taken second then, but it just shows how time and expectations have moved on.
"Egan is the future and when I'm 45 and old and fat and sat in the pub watching him win a 10th Tour de France I can say I told him all I know."
Thomas went into the three-week race as joint leader with Bernal but his preparations had been disrupted when he crashed while travelling at around 50mph in the Tour de Suisse in June.
He had to abandon that week-long race and then he had three minor crashes during this year's Tour.
"Thanks to all my team and thank you G [Geraint Thomas] for giving me the opportunity," said Bernal. "I'm the happiest guy in the world. I have just won the Tour de France and I can't believe it."
Bernal's victory is the seventh in eight years for a British-based team, after Ineos took over the ownership of the Team Sky squad earlier this year.
Bradley Wiggins became the first British winner of the race in 2012, with Chris Froome triumphing in 2013 and then claiming three in succession from 2015 before Thomas took last year's title.
Bernal is just the third Colombian to win one of cycling's three Grand Tours. Nairo Quintana won the 2014 Giro d'Italia and 2016 Vuelta a Espana, while Luis Herera won the Vuelta in 1987.
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