Frank Schleck takes lead in the Alps PRATO

NEVOSO – Frank Schleck of Luxembourg took the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey from Cadel Evans with a last-gap attack in a crash-marred first Alpine stage on Sunday.

The elder Schleck brother dropped the Australian in the final metres of the uphill finish of the 15th stage in the Italian ski resort of Prato Nevoso. He now leads Austrian Bernhard Kohl, the new holder of the polka dot jersey, by seven seconds and Evans, who had a one-second lead before the stage, by eight.”I want to thank my whole team, we are the best team of the field,” said Schleck.”At the end (of the stage) I just wanted to sprint and take that second I needed for the yellow jersey.”Evans, who failed to resist to three CSC riders in the final climb, said: “Three against one, what could I do? It’s not over yet, it’s very close.It’s a very good race, put it that way.”Of the six leading riders who are within 49 seconds, Russian Denis Menchov, in fourth place, is the biggest threat to Evans and Schleck.The 183-km stage from Embrun was won by Australian Simon Gerrans, who gave the Credit Agricole team their second victory of the 2008 race by outwitting Spain’s Egoi Martinez and American Danny Pate after a 171-km breakaway.Spaniard Oscar Pereiro, the only past winner at the start of the race, broke his shoulder when he hit a crash barrier on the descent of the Col d’Agnel.Tour doctor Gerard Porte said the 2006 champion had suffered only a shoulder fracture, despite an early diagnosis of a broken thighbone.Pereiro’s team mates and other riders stopped to check on him as the medical car was summoned.Four men broke away after 12 km and Pate, Gerrans and Spaniards Jose Luis Arrieta and Martinez opened up a 17-minute lead.The peloton was then spurred on by the Lampre team, eager to pull Italian Damiano Cunego back into contention for a stage win in his country.Italian fans had hoped that Riccardo Ricco would shine in the Alps but the climbing ace tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO earlier in the race and was sacked by his Saunier Duval team, who pulled out of the event.Cunego was caught in a big pile-up in Cuneo, 47 km from the finish, along with David Millar and Christian Vande Velde.Spaniard Carlos Sastre, Schleck’s CSC team mate, attacked 6.5 km from the top of the category-one ascent to Prato Nevoso, hoping to make Evans suffer, but the Australian followed.The decisive attack could have come from Menchov, who jumped away from the group with three km to go but the Russian’s try was shortlived as he slipped on the wet road.The Rabobank rider was quickly back on his bike and on the offensive again as Evans found it harder and harder to keep up the pace.Sastre dealt Evans the final blow with less than two km remaining.Menchov and Gerolsteiner’s Kohl followed the Spaniard but it was too much for Evans, who watched Schleck speed away on the very last part of the climb.ReutersHe now leads Austrian Bernhard Kohl, the new holder of the polka dot jersey, by seven seconds and Evans, who had a one-second lead before the stage, by eight.”I want to thank my whole team, we are the best team of the field,” said Schleck.”At the end (of the stage) I just wanted to sprint and take that second I needed for the yellow jersey.”Evans, who failed to resist to three CSC riders in the final climb, said: “Three against one, what could I do? It’s not over yet, it’s very close.It’s a very good race, put it that way.”Of the six leading riders who are within 49 seconds, Russian Denis Menchov, in fourth place, is the biggest threat to Evans and Schleck.The 183-km stage from Embrun was won by Australian Simon Gerrans, who gave the Credit Agricole team their second victory of the 2008 race by outwitting Spain’s Egoi Martinez and American Danny Pate after a 171-km breakaway.Spaniard Oscar Pereiro, the only past winner at the start of the race, broke his shoulder when he hit a crash barrier on the descent of the Col d’Agnel.Tour doctor Gerard Porte said the 2006 champion had suffered only a shoulder fracture, despite an early diagnosis of a broken thighbone.Pereiro’s team mates and other riders stopped to check on him as the medical car was summoned.Four men broke away after 12 km and Pate, Gerrans and Spaniards Jose Luis Arrieta and Martinez opened up a 17-minute lead.The peloton was then spurred on by the Lampre team, eager to pull Italian Damiano Cunego back into contention for a stage win in his country.Italian fans had hoped that Riccardo Ricco would shine in the Alps but the climbing ace tested positive for the banned blood-booster EPO earlier in the race and was sacked by his Saunier Duval team, who pulled out of the event.Cunego was caught in a big pile-up in Cuneo, 47 km from the finish, along with David Millar and Christian Vande Velde.Spaniard Carlos Sastre, Schleck’s CSC team mate, attacked 6.5 km from the top of the category-one ascent to Prato Nevoso, hoping to make Evans suffer, but the Australian followed.The decisive attack could have come from Menchov, who jumped away from the group with three km to go but the Russian’s try was shortlived as he slipped on the wet road.The Rabobank rider was quickly back on his bike and on the offensive again as Evans found it harder and harder to keep up the pace.Sastre dealt Evans the final blow with less than two km remaining.Menchov and Gerolsteiner’s Kohl followed the Spaniard but it was too much for Evans, who watched Schleck speed away on the very last part of the climb.Reuters