Nibali wins Tour de France

Paris - Vincenzo Nibali fought back tears as he stood on the Tour de France winner's podium and described the moment as better than he ever expected.

Final Yellow jersey standings

Nibali completed his victory at the 2014 Tour by finishing safely in the pack on Sunday's 21st and final stage from Evry to Paris, won by German Marcel Kittel.

"It's the most important and the best moment, I never imagined it could feel this good because when you find yourself on this podium on the Champs Elysees, it's unique," said Nibali, reading a prepared statement.

"Now that I'm here it's even better than I imagined. I fought for this every day, I started building from a long way out with a winter preparation with the team because we had decided this was our objective.

"Some people might think it's normal but I want to thank my (Astana) team because when you achieve an objective, you do so together, not just those here with me but also those back in Italy.

"It's a success that I want to dedicate to all the staff in the team and to my family, my wife Rachelle and my daughter Emma.

"If it hadn't been for my parents who have supported me since the beginning then I wouldn't have been here.

"I've never felt more emotional in my career."

After crossing the finish line, Nibali went straight up to his wife and baby to embrace both.

By winning the final stage, German sprint king Kittel matched Nibali's achievement of winning four stages on this Tour.

The Giant-Shimano sprinter thus equalled his feat from last year when he also won four stages -- including both the first and last -- and wore the yellow jersey for a day on stage two.

In the final sprint he initially looked to have been caught and passed by Alexander Kristoff before finding a second wind to power through and win.

Norwegian Kristoff, who won two previous stages, finished second with Lithuania's Ramunas Navardauskas, who also claimed a stage, coming third.

"It was actually my strategy for the sprint," said Kittel.

"I was meant to start not too early so when Kristoff passed me he had already had a little more time to accelerate and gain more speed.

"That was the reason why I was a bit behind him but then I could really start my sprint and accelerate and I noticed the moment when Kristoff couldn't go faster any more.

"That was the moment to pass him again. It was close, there was a moment I thought it really wasn't enough at the end but I'm super happy."

Kittel, 26, paid tribute to his lead out team who put him in the position to win with 300m left.

"It's incredible, I'm really proud of all the team. The guys worked really hard today, they put me in a perfect position," he added.

"It's been a great Tour in our team, and I don't forget my teammate (Ji Cheng) who fell, but we'll celebrate tonight."

The day's events started, as ever for the processional final stage, at a pedestrian pace as Nibali sipped champagne with his team-mates and posed for photos with the other jersey winners.

Slovakian Peter Sagan won the green sprinters' points jersey for the third year in a row while young Pole Rafal Majka claimed the king of the mountains polkadot jersey.

Frenchman Thibaut Pinot won the young riders' white jersey and also finished third overall, behind compatriot Jean-Christophe Peraud.

While Ji, who crashed on the cobbles along the Champs Elysees and was even lapped as the peloton made eight circuits around the famous Parisian avenue, achieved more than just becoming the first Chinese rider to compete at and indeed finish a Tour.

He came 164th and last but also managed the largest gap between first and last since 1954, finishing 6hr 02min 24sec behind Nibali.

Results from the 21st and final stage of Tour de France, a 137.5km ride from Evry to Paris on Sunday:

1. Marcel Kittel (GER/GIA) 3hr 20min 50sec (average: 41.1 km/h)
2. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) at 0:00.
3. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) 0:00.
4. Andre Greipel (GER/LTB) 0:00.
5. Mark Renshaw (AUS/OPQ) 0:00.
6. Bernhard Eisel (AUT/SKY) 0:00.
7. Bryan Coquard (FRA/EUC) 0:00.
8. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/OPQ) 0:00.
9. Peter Sagan (SVK/CAN) 0:00.
10. Romain Feillu (FRA/BSE) 0:00.
11. Daniele Bennati (ITA/TIN) 0:00.
12. Arnaud Dmare (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.
13. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 0:00.
14. Adrien Petit (FRA/COF) 0:00.
15. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/BKN) 0:00.
16. Daniel Oss (ITA/BMC) 0:00.
17. Davide Cimolai (ITA/LAM) 0:00.
18. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:04.
19. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 0:04.
20. Johan Van Summeren (BEL/GRM) 0:04.
21. Roger Kluge (GER/IAM) 0:06.
22. Kevin Reza (FRA/EUC) 0:06.
23. Jack Bauer (NZL/GRM) 0:06.
24. Tom Veelers (NED/GIA) 0:06.
25. Elia Viviani (ITA/CAN) 0:09.
26. Jens Voigt (GER/TRE) 0:09.
27. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 0:09.
28. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/ALM) 0:09.
29. Peter Velits (SVK/BMC) 0:09.
30. Bram Tankink (NED/BKN) 0:09.
31. Matteo Montaguti (ITA/ALM) 0:09.
32. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/IAM) 0:09.
33. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/TRE) 0:09.
34. Sbastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 0:09.
35. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 0:09.
36. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 0:09.
37. Chris Horner (USA/LAM) 0:09.
38. Nlson Oliveira (POR/LAM) 0:09.
39. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 0:09.
40. Mickael Delage (FRA/FDJ) 0:15.
41. Koen de Kort (NED/GIA) 0:15.
42. Martin Elmiger (SUI/IAM) 0:15.
43. Michael Albasini (SUI/ORI) 0:15.
44. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/BSE) 0:15.
45. Julien Simon (FRA/COF) 0:15.
46. Michael Schr (SUI/BMC) 0:15.
47. Bauke Mollema (NED/BKN) 0:15.
48. William Bonnet (FRA/FDJ) 0:15.
49. Lars Boom (NED/BKN) 0:15.
50. Laurens ten Dam (NED/BKN) 0:15.
51. Markel Irizar (ESP/TRE) 0:15.
52. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 0:15.
53. Frank Schleck (LUX/TRE) 0:15.
54. Leopold Knig (CZE/APP) 0:15.
55. Peter Stetina (USA/BMC) 0:15.
56. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 0:15.
57. Jan Brta (CZE/APP) 0:15.
58. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 0:15.
59. Mikel Nieve (ESP/SKY) 0:15.
60. Tom Dumoulin (NED/GIA) 0:15.
61. David Lopez (ESP/SKY) 0:15.
62. Jean-Marc Bideau (FRA/BSE) 0:15.
63. Matteo Trentin (ITA/OPQ) 0:15.
64. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 0:15.
65. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 0:15.
66. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 0:15.
67. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 0:15.
68. Gregory Rast (SUI/TRE) 0:24.
69. Michael Morkov (DEN/TIN) 0:24.
70. Gatis Smukulis (LAT/KAT) 0:24.
71. Jon Izagirre (ESP/MOV) 0:24.
72. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 0:24.
73. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA/FDJ) 0:24.
74. Jrgen Roelandts (BEL/LTB) 0:24.
75. Lieuwe Westra (NED/AST) 0:24.
76. Marco Marcato (ITA/CAN) 0:24.
77. Florian Guillou (FRA/BSE) 0:24.
78. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AST) 0:24.
79. Brice Feillu (FRA/BSE) 0:24.
80. Alessandro Vanotti (ITA/AST) 0:24.
81. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 0:24.
82. Benoit Jarrier (FRA/BSE) 0:24.
83. Marcel Wyss (SUI/IAM) 0:24.
84. Ben Gastauer (LUX/ALM) 0:24.
85. Matthew Busche (USA/TRE) 0:24.
86. Michal Golas (POL/OPQ) 0:24.
87. Kristjan Koren (SLO/CAN) 0:24.
88. Kristijan Durasek (CRO/LAM) 0:24.
89. Jos Serpa Perez (COL/LAM) 0:24.
90. Mickal Cherel (FRA/ALM) 0:24.
91. Bartosz Huzarski (POL/APP) 0:24.
92. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 0:24.
93. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 0:24.
94. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/BKN) 0:24.
95. Jens Keukeleire (BEL/ORI) 0:24.
96. Tom Slagter (NED/GRM) 0:24.
97. Rubn Plaza (ESP/MOV) 0:24.
98. Maciej Bodnar (POL/CAN) 0:24.
99. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LTB) 0:24.
100. Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ/AST) 0:24.
101. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 0:24.
102. John Gadret (FRA/MOV) 0:24.
103. Tanel Kangert (EST/AST) 0:24.
104. Sergio Paulinho (POR/TIN) 0:24.
105. Sbastian Langeveld (NED/GRM) 0:24.
106. Andreas Schillinger (GER/APP) 0:24.
107. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN) 0:34.
108. John Degenkolb (GER/GIA) 0:36.
109. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 0:39.
110. Niki Terpstra (NED/OPQ) 0:39.
111. Perrig Quemeneur (FRA/EUC) 0:41.
112. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/TIN) 0:41.
113. Nicolas Roche (IRL/TIN) 0:41.
114. Jan Bakelants (BEL/OPQ) 0:41.
115. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 0:45.
116. Tiago Machado (POR/APP) 0:47.
117. Paul Voss (GER/APP) 0:47.
118. Yukiya Arashiro (JPN/EUC) 0:47.
119. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 0:55.
120. Giovanni Visconti (ITA/MOV) 0:55.
121. Jos Mendes (POR/APP) 0:57.
122. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 0:57.
123. Armindo Fonseca (FRA/BSE) 0:57.
124. Albert Timmer (NED/GIA) 0:57.
125. Sbastien Reichenbach (SWI/IAM) 0:57.
126. Roy Curvers (NED/GIA) 0:57.
127. Alex Howes (USA/GRM) 0:57.
128. Benjamin King (USA/GRM) 0:57.
129. Amal Moinard (FRA/BMC) 0:57.
130. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 0:57.
131. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ/AST) 0:57.
132. Nicolas Edet (FRA/COF) 1:02.
133. Cedric Pineau (FRA/FDJ) 1:02.
134. Adam Hansen (AUS/LTB) 1:04.
135. Fabio Sabatini (ITA/CAN) 1:06.
136. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 1:08.
137. Luca Paolini (ITA/KAT) 1:12.
138. Alessandro De Marchi (ITA/CAN) 1:17.
139. Jean-Marc Marino (FRA/CAN) 1:17.
140. Simon Clarke (AUS/ORI) 1:20.
141. Luke Durbridge (AUS/ORI) 1:20.
142. Christian Meier (CAN/ORI) 1:20.
143. Danny Pate (USA/SKY) 1:20.
144. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) 1:20.
145. Rudy Molard (FRA/COF) 1:20.
146. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 1:20.
147. Vladimir Isaichev (RUS/KAT) 1:20.
148. Tony Gallopin (FRA/LTB) 1:20.
149. Jrme Pineau (FRA/IAM) 1:20.
150. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 1:20.
151. Arnaud Gerard (FRA/BSE) 1:20.
152. Maarten Wijnants (BEL/BKN) 1:20.
153. Tom Leezer (NED/BKN) 1:20.
154. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 1:20.
155. Cyril Lemoine (FRA/COF) 1:26.
156. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL/OPQ) 1:30.
157. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LTB) 1:41.
158. Zakkari Dempster (AUS/APP) 1:51.
159. Florian Vachon (FRA/BSE) 1:56.
160. Jos Herrada Lopez (ESP/MOV) 1:59.
161. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/SKY) 3:39.
162. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 4:05.
163. Alexandre Pichot (FRA/EUC) 4:33.
164. Ji Cheng (CHN/GIA) 9:25.