PARIS: Marcus Burghardt of Germany profited from a transitional day in the Tour de France to claim victory on the 18th stage from Bourg d''Oisans to St Etienne.

The 25-year-old German caught Carlos Barredo 94km into the 197km stage and held off the Spaniard''s late dash in the closing metres to secure Team Columbia''s fifth stage win of the Tour.

His win puts the gloss on a fine Tour for the Columbia team, who won four perfectly-executed bunch sprints courtesy of Mark Cavendish earlier in the race.

Sastre, hoping to become the third consecutive Spaniard to win the Tour after Oscar Pereiro and Alberto Contador, must decide whether to try and gain more time on Cadel Evans in tomorrow''s flat stage from Roanne to Montlucon.