Schleck takes yellow from Evans

2008-07-20 18:32

Prato Nevoso, Italy - Australian Simon Gerrans of the Credit Agricole team won the 15th stage of the Tour de France on Sunday, a 183km ride between Embrun and Prato Nevoso in Italy as Luxemburg's Frank Schleck of CSC took the yellow jersey.

After a gruelling final climb Schleck dethroned previous race leader, Aussie Cadel Evans, who had held a 1sec lead over his rival going in to the stage in the Italian Alps.

To make matters worse for Evans, Austria's Bernhard Kohl attacked in the final 3km to go second overall 7sec adrift of Schleck but 1sec ahead of the Aussie.

The top six in the overall standings are now bunched within less than 50sec as the race for glory in Paris hots up.

Escapees Egoi Martinez of Spain and US rider Danny Pate took second and third on the day as the 28-year-old Gerrans, in winning his first Tour stage, gave Credit Agricole their second stage win of the edition following in the foosteps of Norwegian Thor Hushovd.

Gerrans just had enough in the tank to win out over the final 200m as another Spanish challenger, Jose Luis Arrieta, slid back in the final 11km ascent into Prato Nevoso at 1 440m altitude.

A wet, blustery day meanwhile saw several falls with Spain's 2006 Tour de France champion Oscar Pereiro suffering shoulder injuries following a spectacular fall.

Pereiro was in 15th position, 6min 1sec behind Evans when he crashed out of the race.

The Spaniard was declared winner of the 2006 Tour de France after American Floyd Landis was stripped of the title for taking testosterone.

- AFP