Contador takes Tour lead in bizarre incident

BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON, France - The gloves have come off at the Tour de France.

Andy Schleck was fighting mad after dropping his chain during a tough climb Monday and then losing the overall lead when defending champion Alberto Contador sped ahead to take the yellow jersey.

"He can be nervous for the next days . . . This gives me anger," Schleck said, vowing revenge. "I'm not the one who will get chased anymore, I'm the one who chases. That's a big difference."

The episode highlighted the often unclear etiquette of cycling's greatest race, where the wearer of the yellow jersey is conferred almost queen-bee-like respect - and taking advantage of mishaps out of his control is frowned upon.

The breach came on a day when France's Thomas Voeckler came out of a long breakaway to win the 15th stage.

Contador, who gained time while Schleck was putting his chain back on and during a high-speed downhill to the finish, crossed 2:50 back in seventh, and Schleck came in 12th - 3:29 after Voeckler.

Contador now leads Schleck by 8 seconds. With Schleck only 31 seconds ahead at the beginning of the stage, tensions were certain to escalate. The two self-avowed friends had spent one calmer day in this Tour discussing a recent vacation getaway they had together. The friendship is now apparently on hold.

"We're only here in a bike race, so let's leave it that way," Schleck said, when asked if he and Contador were still friends. "I think everybody can make his opinion about the race today."

Schleck hit the accelerator in an attack about 2.5 miles from the top of the Port de Bales, but his chain came unfurled. He stopped to re-engage it as Contador and other top riders sped past.

Contador said such woes are part of the sport, and insisted he didn't know about his rival's troubles right away.

"Those are the circumstances of the race," he said. "I knew there would be a debate after that, but I attacked before I knew he had a problem with his chain, and I was already ahead when I knew it. I understand he's disappointed."

He wasn't alone. Contador heard nearly as many boos as cheers when he donned the coveted yellow shirt for the first time this year at the awards ceremony after the stage.

"I'm not going to cry over the yellow jersey," Schleck said.