On two previous occasions, Australian Cadel Evans nearly pocketed cycling's greatest competition yet after his sterling performance on Saturday's individual time trial, where he narrowly beat Andy Schleck, the Tour de France 2011 title is finally his.

Already a world champion in the game, which he snatched in 2009, cementing his reputation in the gruelling sports, BMC's Evans made history as the first Aussie to win the prestigious racing event, where cycling legend Lance Armstrong once held sway in seven different staging.

While the tour's last stage has yet to be wrapped, which was scheduled on Sunday, Evans' dominance in the 108th edition of the annual race will not be nudged at all as the mostly ceremonial finale leg will not matter in the overall standings, according to The Associated Press.

It appeared that Evans ploy on this year's Tour paid off, utilising his riding skills and experience in the last few days if only to keep abreast with the previous days leaders and then surging ahead during Saturday's more than 42 kilometre race in order to overcome the 57 seconds lead held by Schleck over him.

Such reversal of fortune handed the yellow jersey to Evans, which he will definitely wear and keep after all the riders have checked in at Champs-Elysees in Paris come Sunday, while Schleck was again relegated to a runner-up finish in two consecutive years.

Along the way, Evans had to surpass the challenges posed by another Schleck, Andy's older sibling Frank, and that of defending champion Alberto Contador of Spain, en route to the Tour win that effectively immortalised his name in the cycling world.

Evans credited consistency as the main reason for his best achievement in the Tour, which he noted came at the twilight of his riding career though Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme declared that Evans' win came fittingly at the right time.

The Tour official was quoted by AP as saying that Evans' winning this year's title "is the victory of a complete rider ... and it is the consecration of a career."

Coming to terms with the incredible win, after his bungled attempts in the past, Evans was quoted by AFP as saying that "I really can't quite believe it right now ... I have been concentrating on one event for so long."

Also, the Aussie rider dedicated the win to his Italian coach Aldo Sassi, who died last year yet never stop believing that a Tour de France title will one day be attached to the name of his ward.

The emotional told AP that "for (Sassi) today to see me now, would be quite something."