PARIS — The Tour de France ended in celebration, with winner Alberto Contador sipping champagne as he rode into the French capital and Mark Cavendish raising his hands in triumph as he once again claimed a stage victory on the Champs-Elysees.

Lance Armstrong finished with a final chance to ride at the front of the field before he begins his wished-for quiet life.

It's a wish the seven-time Tour champion may not get.

The 2010 Tour de France has been one to savor. It featured an exciting rivalry between Contador and the man he beat for a second straight year, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg. There were classic mountain battles, a time-trial that almost caused an upset, a row, a reconciliation, a final day of sunshine and a show put on for the cheering crowds in Paris.

Asked what was missing from this year's race, Tour director Christian Prudhomme joked: "A French winner." The last Frenchman to win the race was Bernard Hinault — 25 years ago.

"But never mind. This competition has been the best we've seen for a long time," Prudhomme said. "There was a super mano-a-mano, there was a magnificent course, there were six French (stage) victories."

Contador is fast becoming one of cycling's all-time greats, and the Spaniard could be chasing Armstrong's record seven victories in a few years. In the meantime, the American veteran stopped by the podium to applaud the young champion and a budding new era in professional cycling.

"I suffered to get this result," said Contador, before hoisting the victor's cup with Paris' Arc de Triomphe in the background. "I don't have words to express what I feel."

Cavendish of Britain claimed his fifth stage victory of this Tour and 15th of his career in a sprint at the end of the largely ceremonial final stage into Paris. It was the second year in a row that he had won on the Champs-Elysees, but it wasn't enough to give him the green jersey.