PRATO NEVOSO, Italy — Frank Schleck of Luxembourg seized the overall lead in the Tour de France on Sunday, drawing on his strength in the mountains and getting an assist from his brother as the three-week race headed into the Italian Alps.
“For me to take the yellow jersey, it’s a childhood dream,” Schleck said.
Cycling’s premier event got a new leader on a day when Simon Gerrans of Australia won the 15th stage. It was his first stage victory in four Tour appearances, and he called it a “beautiful thing.”
Riders confronted three climbs — including one nearly 13 miles up the Agnel pass that is so tough it defies classification in cycling’s rating system — and an uphill finish to complete the 114-mile route from Embrun, France, to Prato Nevoso, Italy.
Schleck, who came into the stage just one second behind Cadel Evans, sped ahead at the finish to wrest the yellow jersey from the Australian. Schleck leads Bernhard Kohl of Austria by seven seconds, while Evans slipped to third, eight seconds back.
Schleck credited CSC teammate and younger brother Andy for surging ahead at least twice during the final climb in a bid to force Evans to work hard.
Schleck has had success before in the Alps, winning a Tour stage in 2006 up the famed Alpe d’Huez, which riders will face Wednesday.
He now wants to build his lead in the mountains, knowing Evans most likely will be stronger in the time trial during the next-to-last stage before Sunday’s finish in Paris.
Trying to move beyond a string of doping scandals, the Tour has gotten even tighter as it heads into the third and final week. Five riders are within 49 seconds of the leader — up from three before Stage 15 started. Six riders have now worn the yellow jersey.
Some riders sensed Evans wasn’t at his best Sunday.
“On a hilltop finish like this you don’t need to have magic, you just got to have a strong team on the front,” CSC rider Jens Voigt said. “Do hard tempo on the last climb. Put the hammer down, basically.”
Evans, who has said his team isn’t the strongest in the mountains, came under attack.
On the final climb, top contender Denis Menchov of Russia skidded off his bike on a sharp turn while leading one attack. He got back up and still finished 27 seconds ahead of Evans.
Menchov is fourth overall, 38 seconds back, followed by Garmin-Chipotle rider Christian Vande Velde, 39 seconds behind. Spain’s Carlos Sastre, also on Team CSC, trails by 49 seconds.
Gerrans, of the Credit Agricole team, led a four-man group that broke away from the main pack early in the stage and clocked 4 hours, 50 minutes, 44 seconds.
Tour de France at a glance
A brief look at Sunday’s 15th stage of the Tour de France:
Stage: A 113.7-mile trek from Embrun to the Italian ski resort of Prato Nevoso, with an uphill and rainy finish.
Garmin-Chipotle watch: The Boulder-based team’s Danny Pate finished the stage in third, 10 seconds behind Simon Gerrans of Australia, while Christian Vande Velde battled to keep up with the overall leaders and is now in fifth place.
Next stage: After the second rest day today, the race resumes Tuesday with a 97-mile stage from Cuneo to Jausiers, crossing back into France with two more major — and lengthy — climbs: the 13.3-mile Lombarde pass and the 15.8- mile Bonette-Restefond summit.
Denver Post staff and wire reports
