Dutch rider Dylan van Baarle has won the Tour of Britain title.

Van Baarle's victory was confirmed as he finished safely in the peloton on a final stage today won by Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano), the winner of stage one in Liverpool a week ago.

Van Baarle claimed the yellow jersey on a dramatic day in Sussex yesterday that finished on Brighton seafront.

A five-man breakaway formed early on this afternoon, featuring Steve Cummings (BMC Racing), Jan Barta (Team NetApp-Endura), Chris Latham (Great Britain), Liam Holohan (Madison Genesis) and Mark McNally (An Post-Chainreaction).

McNally dramatically exited the escape group, tumbling to the tarmac after apparently touching a wheel in the group, a fall which required a bike change.

The last remnants of the breakaway were caught with 5.5km remaining as the sprinters' teams fought for position in anticipation of a hectic dash for the line.

It pitted Kittel against Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and just as it looked like the Manxman had overcome his rival, the German held him off at the line for another win on British soil in 2014.

Kittel has won Giro d'Italia stages in Belfast and Dublin, Tour de France stages in Harrogate and London and Tour of Britain stages in Liverpool and London.

Earlier today, Sir Bradley Wiggins won the penultimate stage van Baarle clung to his overall lead ahead of the concluding criterium race in Westminster.

Van Baarle (Garmin-Sharp) had a 19-second advantage ahead of the first of two stages on the eighth and final day after soaring into the yellow jersey on Saturday's seventh stage to Brighton.

Poland's Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) was his nearest challenger, but could cut the deficit only to 10 seconds after the stage 8a 8.8-kilometre time-trial.

Wiggins won the stage in nine minutes 50.71 seconds to move up four places to third overall, effectively sealing a podium place in his title defence, to move 22secs behind Van Baarle.

Kwiatkowski finished in 10mins 06.78secs, but Van Baarle's impressive time of 10:15.21 saw him retain the yellow jersey.