George Bennett in action during the seventh and final stage of the Tour of California.

Relief. That was the first emotion running through the mind of George Bennett as he crossed the finish line on the final stage of the Tour of California.

The Team LottoNL-Jumbo rider had got through the 125km course into Pasadena unscathed. He had maintained his 35 seconds lead over Olympic Games bronze medallist Rafal Majka. The yellow jersey was his to keep.

For the first time in history a Kiwi had won a World Tour cycling event - and he was the man that did it. He had finally, in his seven-year professional career, won a tour.

BRYN LENNON/GETTY IMAGES A champagne celebration for George Bennett after winning the Tour of California.

"Last night it was shock that I was in the jersey then it really quickly turned to focus for the next stage, and crossing the finish line was a pretty special feeling. There was a lot of relief," he said after the most momentous day of his career.

"It's the big one. It's a weight off the shoulders and hopefully I can build on it. I'm going to take a lot from the week, a lot of confidence. It's very, very special."

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Chris Graythen/ Getty Images George Bennett won a Lexus as part of his prize package in winning the Tour of California.

The 27-year-old from Aniseed Valley, home to some of Tasman's best swimming spots but an area where houses are few and there is barely any cellphone coverage, spoke of his disappointment at being on the podium twice during the seven-stage event without a win to his name, that maiden victory remaining illusive.

The win was set up on stage two in the mountains, when he was the only rider to stay with Majka over the six climbs on the 144.5km stage. Majka claimed the stage win that day, out-sprinting Bennett to the line.

He was also third on stage five's climb up Mt Baldy, and said that result hurt even more.

Chris Graythen/ Getty Images George Bennett looked pretty stoked seated behind the wheel of his new Lexus, won with victory in the Tour of California.

"I was really disappointed with that," he said, despite keeping himself firmly in contention. "But today makes up for it."

Bennett had a long break during the offseason after his 10th place finish at the Vuelta a Espana in 2016, which was his best result heading into California, had allowed him the luxury of an early holiday.

But he didn't get to enjoy it the way he had planned.

GETTY IMAGES George Bennett's time trialling ability helped him create history as the first Kiwi to win a World Tour cycling event.

Bennett contracted glandular fever and was ordered off the bike by his team. His calendar was wiped blank, scratching from the Elite Road National Championships and Tour Down Under - two events he would have backed himself to challenge for.

But when it was time to return to training in late January, he spent 30 hours a week on the bike in order to get himself back up to speed, a lot of that spent on his time trial.

He said the training, centred around his positioning on the bike, sucked but it was a necessity if he had ambitions to push for GC results.

GETTY IMAGES George Bennett celebrates claiming the leader's yellow jersey earlier in the Tour of California.

"You're working on position and reducing power in that position and just doing a lot of painful activity. It's not fun and it's very uncomfortable. But when you adapt your body to work in this contorted very fast position, it's what you need to do basically."

The hard and often lonely work paid off.

Bennett's time trial on the penultimate stage of the Tour of California was what catapulted him into first place on the general classification standings. He finished fourth, but more importantly, had built up a comfortable 41sec lead over Majka.

GETTY IMAGES Kiwi George Bennett celebrates on the podium at the Tour of California.

He described the time trial as "special". It was the turning point in the tour.

It meant the yellow jersey was Bennett's to lose on the final stage.

There were plenty of nerves as he lined up at the start on Sunday morning (NZT). Anything from a crash to a mechanical could have dashed his hopes. So you could understand why it was a feeling of relief as he crossed the finish line just 22 seconds behind the breakaway, his fist waved in the air safe in the knowledge that he was a winner at last.

GETTY IMAGES New Zealand's George Bennett was able to stay with some of the best climbers in the world at the Tour of California.

Bennett said one of the first people to congratulate him was Jack Bauer, his opponent on the road but a close friend off it. The pair had come through the Tasman Wheelers programme together as juniors.

"It was pretty awesome," he said. "I'm hoping to put cycling really in the radar of people back home and build on this because we have such an awesome club at home in Nelson and in New Zealand it's a really growing sport and it's exciting to be part of it."

The celebrations won't last long though. Bennett plans to have a barbecue and some beers with his team-mates before flying back to Europe on Monday (NZT). He will spend a "low key" week with his girlfriend, Caitlin, in their adopted home of Girona, Spain, before heading to altitude for training.

"It's back to work. It's not like that was my thing and I can chill for a month. But that's pro cycling and I'm used to it."

His next race is the Tour de France.

Tour of California general classification: 1. George Bennett (New Zealand/LottoNL) 22:54:38; 2. Rafal Majka (Poland/BORA) +35"; 3. Andrew Talansky (United States/Cannondale) +36"; 4. Brent Bookwalter (US/ BMC Racing) +45"; 5. Ian Boswell (U.S./Team Sky) +1:00"; 6. Vegard Laengen (Norway/UAE Team Emirates) +1:54"; 7. Lachlan Morton (Australia/Dimension Data) +1:55"; 8. Tao Geoghegan Hart (Britain/Team Sky) +2:12"; 9. Sam Oomen (Netherlands/Sunweb) +2:15"; 10. Haimar Zubeldia (Spain / Trek) +3:14"