Alberto Contador wins in 2010

Spain's Alberto Contador has won his third Tour de France after Brit Mark Cavendish won the final stage on the Champs Elysees.

Contador adds this year's yellow jersey to the ones he won in 2007 and 2009, while Luxemburger Andy Schleck, who was second – 39 seconds behind – adds a second runners-up memory after achieving the same result in 2009.

Second place on the stage was captured by Italian Alessandro Petacchi, who won two stages to secure the green jersey for the race's points competition, while Anthony Charteau of France won the best climber's polka dot jersey.

Lance Armstrong, who has stood on the top step seven times before, finished third in his final Tour after his RadioShack team won the teams' classification.

Schleck also won the race's white jersey for the best placed rider aged 25 or under for the third successive year.

"I had some tough moments on this year's race, as much from a mental as physical point of view," Contador said.

"I think that managing to cope during those days was the reason I won the Tour.

"I suffered a lot to get this result. Words don't explain what it means to me."