The 56-year-old thanked two of his Warrnambool teammates for helping him achieve the feat in his final attempt at the iconic race.

"Tim Reddick and Sean Taylor rode with me all the way to the line, encouraged me and helped me being first Warrnambool rider home," he said.

"They encouraged me all the way to the line and that was good of them. It was a really good gesture of them to do that for me.

"I didn't think I would get it but the two boys around me they are pretty powerful boys and sprint a lot harder than me but it was a great gesture for them to let me have that today."

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Greig, who races with Port Fairy and Warrnambool cycling clubs, said he was part of a good bunch that kept a steady pace across the 267-kilometre ride.

"It was a good race, conditions were really good out there and I was in a strong bunch," he said.

"We got dropped from the big boys, the main peloton, of course but I was in a good working bunch and we averaged 40km/h all the way.

"I had three of my Warrnambool teammates around me so that was good. I felt good all day to have them with me even to the line.

"It was my fifth Warrny and my last and it was good to go out on a good note being the first Warrnambool rider home, it means a lot."

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Greig, who has been second a couple of times, said he was content with finishing a race he loves for the final time.

"I'm too old I'll be 57 this year and I'll be happy to support it as I love the race but I'll watch the young boys do it, it's a young boys race," he said.

"Being a Warrnambool person you get on your bike at Avalon and there is only one way to get home and it's to ride your bike.

"When you come over hills and hit Port Campbell you start to get in our training zone then and it makes it easier that last 80ks when it is in your home town and you know everywhere.

"I do a lot of fishing and I looked at the Bay of Islands when we came past and saw it was flat and thought 'bloody old bastard you should be out there fishing not riding your bike'."

Greig thanked his family and friends for their support over the years.

"You know they are all going to be there on the finish line and it just drives you all the way to get there," he said.

"I was cramping, and I normally don't cramp but today I was, and 80ks from home I knew I just couldn't get off the bike, I had to be there for all my family and my friends waiting for me."

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