Schleck takes yellow jersey from Evans
Sunday, 20 Jul 2008 17:49
Frank Schleck has taken the yellow jersey
Australian Simon Gerrans has won the 15th stage of the Tour de France, which ran from Embrun to Prato Nevoso.
Gerrans, of Credit Agricole, broke away with three others after 15km, and held on to win the first of three consecutive mountain-top stages.
The stage was noteworthy for the performance of CSC's Frank Schleck, who overtook race-leader Cadel Evans in the final kilometre to take the yellow jersey and the overall lead in the tour.
It was a bad day for 2006 winner Oscar Pereiro who was forced to pull out of the tour after breaking his shoulder in a nasty crash.
Pereiro, who won the 2006 Tour after Floyd Landis was stripped of his title for doping, was taken to a hospital in Cuneo as he crashed over a guard rail on the side of the road during a sharp turn.
He was injured about 50 miles into the 114-mile stage from Embrun, France, to Prato Nevoso.
Briton Mark Cavendish had earlier pulled out of the tour to concentrate on the Beijing Olympics.