Schleck's CSC team is much stronger than Evans's Silence

Australian Simon Gerrans won from a breakaway on stage 15 of the Tour de France, from Embrun to Prato Nevoso.

Gerrans, of Credit Agricole, broke away with three others after 15km, and held on for the mountain-top Alpine win.

In the race for the yellow jersey, CSC's Frank Schleck attacked leader Cadel Evans in the final kilometre to steal the overall classification.

But the day was marred by the exit of 2006 winner Oscar Pereiro who broke his shoulder in a crash.

Schleck had trailed Evans by just one second going into the 15th stage, and ended the day with a seven-second lead over Bernhard Kohl, who headed home the chasing pack behind the breakaway group.

606: DEBATE The rest day has come at the right time for Evans, so don't write him off yet BLACKPATCH91

Gerrans produced a perfectly timed late surge to secure his stage win.

Going into the final stages, expert climber Egoi Martinez, the King of the Mountains at the 2006 Vuelta a Espana, looked to have the edge over Gerrans and Danny Pate.

But he had no reply when the 28-year-old made a dash for the line with 300m to go.

The breakaway group benefited from several crashes in the peloton, most significantly affecting third-placed Christian Vandevelde, and Pereiro, whose Tour was ended when he was badly injured on the descent from the Col Agnel.

At first it was feared he had also broken his leg as well as his shoulder when he hit the crash barrier, but this was later found not to be the case.

Stage 15 results, Embrun to Prato Nevoso (183km):

1. Simon Gerrans (Aus/C.A) 4hrs 50mins 44secs
2. Egoi Martinez (Spa/EUS) + 3secs
3. Danny Pate (US/GAR) + 10secs
4. Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa/A2R) + 55secs
5. Bernhard Kohl (Aut/GST) + 4mins 3secs
6. Carlos Sastre (Spa/CSC) same time
7. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/GCE) + 4mins 12secs
8. Denis Menchov (Rus/RAB) + 4mins 23secs
9. Frank Schleck (Lux/CSC) + 4mins 41secs
10. Christian Vandevelde (US/GAR) + 4mins 43secs

Selected others

13. Cadel Evans (Aus/SIL) + 4mins 50secs
105. David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 21mins 57secs

Overall standings (after 15 stages):

1. Frank Schleck (Lux/CSC) 63hrs 57mins 21secs
2. Bernhard Kohl (Aut/GST) + 7secs
3. Cadel Evans (Aus/SIL) + 8secs
4. Denis Menchov (Rus/RAB) + 38secs
5. Christian Vandevelde (US/GAR) + 39secs
6. Carlos Sastre (Spa/CSC) + 49secs
7. Kim Kirchen (Lux/COL) + 2mins 48secs
8. Vladimir Efimkin (Rus/AG2R) + 3mins 36secs
9. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/GCE) + 4mins 11secs
10. Samuel Sanchez (Spa/EUS) + 4mins 34secs

Selected others:

51. David Millar (GB/Garmin) + 52mins 37secs