German Burghardt claims Tour stage victory

(CNN) -- Marcus Burghardt of Germany won the 18th stage of the Tour de France on Thursday, leading a two-rider breakaway as the race left the high mountains of the Alps.

Burghardt, 25, and Carlos Barredo of Spain finished over three-and-a-half minutes of a group of three chasing riders, with the peloton nearly seven minutes down at the end of the 196.5km hilly ride from Bourg-d'Oisans to Saint-Etienne.

Team Columbia rider Burghardt raised his fists in the air and clapped as he crossed the line, while Barredo banged his handlebars in frustration.

Swiss-based German Burghardt said he had been given the green light to attack by his team. "I took it really easy in the Alps, and the days before, to save a bit of power," he said -- playing down suggestions Barredo had been cheeky to try and sneak an attack on him as he zipped up his shirt.

"I think for Quick Step the Tour hasn't been so good, so he probably wanted to try everything he could. Maybe it was a good moment for him, but I was focused on him and I think I did a good job."

A professional since 2005, it was Burghardt's first Tour stage win and his first major victory since returning to action following an early season crash.

Meanwhile, Carlos Sastre of Spain finished safely in the peloton to retain the race leader's yellow jersey with just three stages remaining.

Sastre leads his CSC teammate Frank Schleck of Luxembourg by 1:24. Austrian Bernhard Kohl is third, 1:33 behind, while favorite Cadel Evans is a further second behind in fourth place, although the Australian Silence-Lotto rider is expected to wipe away that deficit after Saturday's inidividual time-trial.

"I had quite a relaxing day on the bike," said Sastre, who is trying his best not to reveal exactly how he rates his chances in the deciding time-trial.

"I don't want to think about the time-trial. I just want to enjoy spending each day in the yellow jersey," added the CSC rider.

The aspirants for overall victory were content to let the breakaway riders go away as neither is a threat in the general classification. Barredo came into the stage more than two hours behind Sastre, while Burghardt was more than three hours back.

Italian Damiano Cunego suffered a nasty crash during the stage, resuming a long way behind the peloton after getting treatment from the race doctor.

With the help of four of his Lampre team-mates, Cunego eventually crossed the line over 20 minutes behind the stage winner.

"It's a miracle I finished the stage," said Cunego, who finished with blood dripping from a bandaged wound under his chin and injuries to his chest and thorax. "My two wheels ended up in a rut in the road and the next thing I knew I was flying to the ground."

The former Giro d'Italia champion, who was suffering his third crash of this year's race, repelled calls by his team managers to pull out of the race.

However, after the stage Cunego was taken to hospital for a scan on his injuries and reports from sources close to the team suggested the rider was unlikely to start Friday's stage.

The 19th stage takes the race on a 165.5km trek from Roanne to Montlucon, although the final standings will be decided in Saturday's 53km time-trial from Cerilly to Saint-Amand-Montrond.