German Marcus Burghardt beat Carlos Barredo in a two-man sprint to claim his maiden Tour de France win in stage 18 after a 196.5-km ride from Bourg d’Oisans to St Etienne. The 25-year-old Burghardt (Columbia), who won Gent-Wevelgem in 2007 but gained more infamy for crashing into a dog on last year’s Tour, easily held off Quick Step’s Barredo in the finale after a 131-km break-away. Frenchman Romain Feillu took third place from Christophe Le Mevel and Mikel Astarloza in the first chase group, finishing at 3′33″ behind the two escapees.

Il tedesco Burghardt brucia allo sprint lo spagnolo Barredo, suo compagno di fuga per oltre 60 km. Il gruppo con la maglia gialla Sastre a quasi 7′. Il veronese, caduto al 30° km, prosegue fino al traguardo, dove arriva con oltre 20′ ma si ritira dal Tour.