The big Brit took a five-second lead over Garmin Slipstream teammate Chris Sutton into the tour's last stage on the streets of Carlton and this was the way it basically stayed.

Sutton finished second overall, 11 seconds adrift, while another Australian sprinter Jonathon Cantwell was third.

Wiggins, 29, has won six world titles and three Olympic gold medals on the track, and finished fourth in this year's Tour de France.

However, this was the first stage race victory of his professional career

He turned professional in 2001, but only prioritised road racing over track after the 2008 Olympic Games.

Wiggins has strong Australian links.

The Englishman's late father was Australian and represented Australia as a cyclist.

Although Wiggins went into the last stage in front, there was intrigue as to whether the Garmin Slipstream would choose him or Sutton go on to the Herald Sun Tour honour roll.

There was plenty of emotion attached to Sutton's bid.

Sutton, 25, was striving to complete the first father-son combination to win the road classic.

His father Gary won the event in 1984, while his uncle Shane triumphed in 1983.

Sutton won three stages and held the leader's yellow jersey, but was overtaken by Wiggins in Friday's 10km time trial in Geelong.

In the end it was Sutton who chose to support his senior teammate and close friend Wiggins.

Up to the time trial, Wiggins took a back seat to Sutton. His support was instrumental in getting Sutton to the line first in three stages _ sacrificing his own chances for stage wins by being the lead out rider.

Garmin Slipstream team director Matt White had no hesitation over the closing days of the tour declaring Wiggins as easily the best rider of the tour.

White stated on several occasions that without Wiggins, Sutton would not have been a three-time stage winner.

Wiggins said it had been Sutton's decision to support him to get the overall honours and not chase last day heroics in the 61.5km stage.

Wiggins is the first Englishman to win the tour since David Mann in 1993.