Australian Allan Davis decided not to contest the final sprint, but kept safe on stage six to win the Tour Down Under.
Italian Francesco Chicchi was victorious on the last stage of the race which was held on a circuit around Adelaide.
Two-time winner Stuart O'Grady finished behind Davis in second place with Spanish sprinter Jose Rojas in third.
A returning Lance Armstrong finished in 29th place overall, 49 seconds behind Davis.
Bonus
Davis managed to win three stages during the week, the bonus seconds he was awarded for those victories putting him 25 seconds ahead of O'Grady in the overall standings.
The Quick Step sprinter came to his home race with the ambition of winning a stage but managed to avoid losing time on a difficult penultimate stage to claim the ochre jersey.
"I've finally done it, I can't believe it," he said.
"We just had to protect the jersey here today. I'd like to thank Quick Step and my team again. It's been an amazing week."
Attack
Seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong was again in an aggressive mood on the final stage, attacking two laps from home but quickly being reeled in by the peloton.
"I felt pretty good today so I thought I'd give it a go, I just didn't have the firepower to keep it going," Armstong said.
"That's the best I've felt all week - when you feel good and have good legs you go for it."
Chicchi snatched victory when Rabobank rider Graeme Brown veered off-line during the sprint, seeming to impede both himself and fellow Australian Robbie McEwen.
Chicchi said: "I'm happy but I had hoped to win more stages here. Maybe I suffered a little bit from the distance, and getting used to the temperatures."
Allan Davis, pictured before the race  

Australia's Allan Davis won the 2009 Tour Down Under professional road cycling race.
Sprint specialist Davis completed Sunday's final stage in the main pack to maintain the lead he had built up in time bonuses from sprint wins earlier in the race.

122 cyclists completed the six day race around a circuit starting and ending at Adelaide, South Australia.

American cyclist Lance Armstrong also participated in the race, his first professional bike race since the 2005 Tour de France. It is not clear if the seven-time Tour de France winner intended to compete for the general classification, but he did make an unsuccessful breakaway on Sunday in pursuit of a stage victory. Despite several attacks over the week, Armstrong placed 29th in the general classification.