Tour de France - report stage 18

Marcus Burghardt (Team Columbia) outfoxed Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) in a sprint finish for the stage win.

Burghardt (L) beats Barredo - Pic fotoreporter sirotti

There was to be surprise moves or daring do by the CSC/Saxo squad this day and there is no change in the GC.

Happy to ride tempo ahead of the main race, with all the GC contenders in attendance, was to offer opportunity to others well down in the rankings for stage success.

Marcus Burghardt (Team Columbia) and Carlos Barredo (Quick Step) went away early in the race and had a big enough advantage in the final kilometres over a four man chase group to play cat and mouse. Barredo was the first to attack near the 10 kilometres to go flag followed by more digs, only for Burghardt to be a match for the Spaniard. Including once when Barredo attacked as Burghardt attempted to zip up his shirt.

In the final kilometre Burghardt turned up the wick only to slow suddenly, Barredo went next, Burghardt responded and they almost came to a stop as they approached the line. Finally Burghardt got the jump on a clearly angry Barredo to win.

Behind, Romain Feillu (Agritubel) out sprinted Christophe Le Mevel (Credit Agricole) and Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel) to claim third. A little while later Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) led in a small group before the main pack crossed the line with Oscar Freire (Rabobank) to the fore.

1 Marcus Burghardt 42 Team Columbia 4h 30' 21"
2 Carlos Barredo 92 Quick Step 4h 30' 21" @ 00' 00"
3 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel 4h 33' 54" @ 03' 33"
4 Christophe Le Mevel 87 Credit Agricole 4h 33' 54" @ 03' 33"
5 Mikel Astarloza 22 Euskaltel - Euskadi 4h 33' 56" @ 03' 35"
6 Samuel Dumoulin 185 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 4h 37' 00" @ 06' 39"
7 Cyril Dessel 101 Ag2r-La Mondiale 4h 37' 00" @ 06' 39"
8 Roman Kreuziger 65 Liquigas 4h 37' 00" @ 06' 39"
9 Leif Hoste 5 Silence - Lotto 4h 37' 00" @ 06' 39"
10 Andy Schleck 16 Team CSC Saxo Bank 4h 37' 00" @ 06' 39"
11 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
12 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
13 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
14 Leonardo Duque 186 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
15 Filippo Pozzato 61 Liquigas 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
16 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
17 Steven De Jongh 94 Quick Step 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
18 Alessandro Ballan 72 Lampre 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
19 Christophe Riblon 108 Ag2r-La Mondiale 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
20 Sven Krauss 116 Gerolsteiner 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
22 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
31 Christian Vandevelde 191 Garmin Chipotle 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
34 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
36 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
37 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo Bank 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
42 Bernhard Kohl 115 Gerolsteiner 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"
48 David Millar 198 Garmin Chipotle 4h 37' 11" @ 06' 50"

General Classification (Yellow jersey)
1 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo Bank 79h 16' 14"
2 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank 79h 17' 38" @ 01' 24"
3 Bernhard Kohl 115 Gerolsteiner 79h 17' 47" @ 01' 33"
4 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 79h 17' 48" @ 01' 34"
5 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank 79h 18' 53" @ 02' 39"
6 Christian Vandevelde 191 Garmin Chipotle 79h 20' 55" @ 04' 41"
7 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse d'Epargne 79h 21' 49" @ 05' 35"
8 Samuel Sanchez 27 Euskaltel - Euskadi 79h 22' 06" @ 05' 52"
9 Tadej Valjavec 109 Ag2r-La Mondiale 79h 24' 24" @ 08' 10"
10 Vladimir Efimkin 104 Ag2r-La Mondiale 79h 24' 38" @ 08' 24"

Sprint (Green jersey)
1 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 229 Pts
2 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole 180 Pts
3 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 176 Pts
4 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 145 Pts
5 Leonardo Duque 186 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 144 pts
6 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse D’epargne 123 Pts
7 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld 115 Pts
8 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel 114 Pts
9 Robbie McEwen 6 Silence - Lotto 105 pts
10 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto 93 pts

Mountains (Polka Dot jersey)
1 Bernhard Kohl 115 Gerolsteiner 125 Pts
2 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo Bank 80 pts
3 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSCSaxo Bank 80 pts
4 Thomas Voeckler 149 Bouygues Telecom 65 Pts
5 John-Lee Augustyn 52 Barloworld 61 Pts
6 Sebastian Lang 117 Gerolsteiner 60 Pts
7 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse d'Epargne 58 Pts
8 Stefan Schumacher 111 Gerolsteiner 54 Pts
9 Rémy Di Gregorio 163 Francaise Des Jeux 52 pts
10 Egoi Martinez 24 Euskaltel - Euskadi 50 pts