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Burghardt: maiden Tour de France stage victory

The sprint became very tactical. I have good experience of those sort of sprints from track cycling, and I justifiably trained for a long time on the track.

Marcus Burghardt
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Marcus Burghardt edged out Carlos Barredo for victory in stage 18 of the Tour de France, while Carlos Sastre finished safely in the main bunch to retain the yellow jersey.

Wednesday's exertions up the Alpe D'Huez concluded three days in the high mountains and the peloton was no doubt grateful for a less strenuous 196.5 kilometre ride from Bourg-d'Oisans to Saint-Etienne.

Burghardt caught solo escapee Barredo 94km from the finish and held off the Quick-Step man's burst in the closing stages to secure Team Columbia's fifth stage win of the Tour.

The 25-year-old German is best remembered for being knocked off his bike by a dog in last year's event, but he had the chance to change all that with the freedom granted to him on an uneventful day.

Persistence

"I tried to take charge on other stages, but without success," Burghardt told letour.fr.

"So when I saw Barredo had gone, I wanted to go after him.

"When I approached him, we exchanged a few words, and Carlos told me that he would not take over, because he knew that I would be very quick when it came to the sprint.

"I knew that Barredo was going to try and attack at the end. He tried several times, and each time I responded.

"The sprint became very tactical. I have good experience of those sort of sprints from track cycling, and I justifiably trained for a long time on the track.

"I think that served me well in the end."

The result adds gloss to a fine Tour for Team Columbia, who won four perfectly-executed bunch sprints courtesy of Britain's Mark Cavendish earlier in the race.

Sastre in control

Sastre, who grabbed the overall lead from team-mate Frank Schleck with a stunning attack on Wednesday's final climb, enjoyed a quiet day first day in yellow, rolling across the finish line six minutes and 39 seconds after Burghardt but alongside all his main rivals in the general classification.

The Spaniard holds an advantage of one minute and 24 seconds over Schleck, with Gerolsteiner's Bernhard Kohl a further nine seconds back in third.

The main threat to Sastre's victory hopes, however, is likely to come from Cadel Evans of Silence-Lotto.

The Australian is one minute and 34 seconds behind but is an outstanding time-trialler, meaning the final destiny of the yellow jersey will be decided in Saturday's 53km race against the clock from Cérilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond.

The three-week race concludes the following day on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Stage 18 result
1. Marcus Burghardt (Germany/Columbia) 4 hrs 30 mins 21 secs
2. Carlos Barredo (Spain/Quick-Step) same time
3. Romain Feillu (France/Agritubel) +3:33"
4. Christophe Le Mevel (France/Credit Agricole) same time
5. Mikel Astarloza (Spain/Euskaltel) +3:35"
6. Samuel Dumoulin (France/Cofidis) +6:39"
7. Cyril Dessel (France/AG2R) "
8. Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Liquigas) "
9. Leif Hoste (Belgium/Silence-Lotto) "
10. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg/Team CSC) all the same

Overall standings
1. Carlos Sastre (Spain/Team CSC) 79 hrs 16 mins 14 secs
2. Frank Schleck (Luxembourg/Team CSC) +1:24"
3. Bernhard Kohl (Austria/Gerolsteiner) +1:33"
4. Cadel Evans (Australia/Silence-Lotto) +1:34"
5. Denis Menchov (Russia/Rabobank) +2:39"
6. Christian Vande Velde (US/Garmin-Chipotle) +4:41"
7. Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Caisse d'Epargne) +5:35"
8. Samuel Sanchez (Spain/Euskaltel) +5:52"
9. Tadej Valjavec (Slovenia/AG2R) +8:10"
10. Vladimir Efimkin (Russia/AG2R) +8:24"