ST ETIENNE, France (Reuters) - German Marcus Burghardt of Team Columbia won the 18th stage of the Tour de France, a 196.5-km ride from Bourg d'Oisans to St Etienne on Thursday.

Spaniard Carlos Barredo of the Quick Step team was second, with France's Romain Feillu finishing third for Agritubel.

Spain's Carlos Sastre of the CSC team retained the overall leader's yellow jersey.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Rex Gowar)