“I think it’s probably is my greatest achievement, being the first person to win the Tour de France and then go on to win the Vuelta a Espana,” Froome said.

“It’s an amazing feeling. The team has just been incredible over the last few months. It’s meant so much to me, the way they have supported us. I owe a massive thank you to all my teammates.

“I have to say that is probably the toughest Grand Tour I’ve ever ridden. There was something different happening every day.

“I’ve had good days and then I’ve been lying on the ground, bleeding, thinking my race might be over. It’s been a rollercoaster – absolutely relentless. It’s a relief now to finish and to be getting to Madrid.

“I’ve been fighting for this victory now for six years and three years I’ve been standing on the second step. It’s just amazing to stand on the top step this time.”

Froome also finished third in the mountains classification, which Cannondale-Drapac’s Davide Villella won, to ensure the Team Sky man also became the first Brit to win the combination classification.

His two stage wins in this year’s race and overall triumphs means Froome has now won 12 Grand Tour stages, topped three secondary classifications (this year’s two, plus Tour de France King of the Mountains in 2015) and won five Grand Tours in all.

With Alberto Contador retiring after the Vuelta, the latter stat makes him the most successful in the current peloton, overtaking Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), the man who finished runner-up at 2’15” behind Froome.

Vuelta a Espana 2017: final general classification

1) Chris Froome (GBR) – Team Sky – 82.30.02hrs
2) Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) – Bahrain-Merida +2.15
3) Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) – Katusha-Alpecin +2.51
4) Wilco Kelderman (NED) – Team Sunweb +3.15
5) Alberto Contador (ESP) – Trek-Segafredo +3.18
6) Wout Poels (NED) – Team Sky +6.59
7) Michael Woods (CAN) – Cannondale-Drapac +8.27
8) Miguel Angel Lopez (COL) – Astana +9.13
9) Steven Kruijswijk (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo +11.18
10) Tejay van Garderen (USA) – BMC Racing +15.50