The 34-year-old from Barham escaped from a five-man breakaway group to claim victory on the Tour's mammoth 237.5km 16th stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon on Tuesday.
STAGE REPORT: Michael Rogers clinches maiden stage win
The Tinkoff-Saxo rider's success came only after a temporary suspension for taking the banned stimulant clenbuterol was lifted.
Rogers tested positive for clenbuterol at the Japan Cup last October but he was cleared by the International Cycling Union (UCI) of any wrong-doing back in April.
"Certainly it's been a lesson in life for me, I just accepted the person who I was," Rogers said.
"I always dreamed of winning a Grand Tour and I tried for many years.
"All of a sudden I realised, stop trying to live someone else's life, you can win stages, you can win seven-day stage races that are a little bit shorter.
"I can attribute it to a different outlook on life. I don't give up easily.
"Objectives are very hard to understand and sometimes you need a lesson in life to see the real silver lining in the cloud."
Michael Rogers: Doping ban had silver lining
