Simon Gerrans of Australia won yesterday's 15th stage of the Tour de France and Frank Schleck of Luxembourg seized the overall race lead.

Spaniard Egoi Martinez of the Euskaltel team was second, with American Danny Pate third for Garmin-Chipotle.

Schleck outpaced Cadel Evans up the final climb to wrest the yellow jersey from the Australian rider. Schleck has a seven-second lead over Bernhard Kohl of Austria, who also eclipsed Evans. Evans was third overall, eight seconds back.

Gerrans, of Credit Agricole, led a four-man group that broke away from the main pack early along the 183-kilometer trek from Embrun, France, to Prato Nevoso in Italy.

Evans entered the stage holding a razor-thin one-second lead over Schleck, and a 38-second lead over Christian Vande Velde of the United States in third.

Spaniard Oscar Pereiro broke his shoulder and thigh when he crashed in spectacular fashion during the stage, the race doctor.

"He has a fractured shoulder and thigh bone," Gerard Porte told Radio Tour.

Porte said Pereiro, winner of the 2006 Tour after American Floyd Landis was stripped of his title for doping, was taken to a hospital in the town of Cuneo as the race headed into Italy.

The 2006 Tour champion hit a crash barrier on the descent of the Col d'Agnel and fell some five meters lower down. The medical car was summoned.

Pereiro, who rides for Caisse d'Epargne, was 15th overall when he crashed.

Earlier in the day, British sprinter Mark Cavendish pulled out of the Tour ahead of 15th stage which took riders into major climbs in the Alps.

Cavendish won four stages at this year's race with sprint finishes. His Team Columbia manager said he and Cavendish had reached a mutual decision after the 23-year-old cyclist complained of tiredness in recent days.

"We spoke to him last night to see how he felt," Bob Stapleton said. "Even halfway during that he was very fatigued. It was very difficult for him to get over the Alps. Why take any physical risks and put a workload on his body?"

Cavendish will now focus on the Olympic Games in Beijing, where he will take part in the track cycling events, especially Madison, in which he is reigning world champion with Bradley Wiggins.

(Shanghai Daily July 21, 2008)