TOUR DE FRANCE Schleck wins stage; Landis reclaims overall lead

Tuesday was the first of three straight days of grueling Alpine treks.
L'ALPE D'HUEZ, France (AP) -- American Floyd Landis reclaimed the Tour de France's overall lead Tuesday, taking back the yellow jersey after an uphill finish on the famed L'Alpe d'Huez.
The 15th stage, won by Luxembourg's Frank Schleck, was the first of three straight days of grueling Alpine treks, which are likely to identify the top contenders to win the first Tour of the post-Lance Armstrong era.
Landis, the Phonak team leader, finished 1 minute and 10 seconds behind Schleck. He took an overall lead of 10 seconds over Spain's Oscar Pereiro, who had held the yellow jersey and a lead of 1:29 over Landis since the 13th stage.
Takes chance
Landis said he'd taken a "gamble" Saturday by allowing former Phonak teammate Pereiro to claim the yellow jersey, which brings with it pressure to lead and places an extra burden on a rider's teammates.
Landis, a 30-year-old Pennsylvania native, had temporarily taken the race lead last Thursday after the tougher of two days of climbs in the Pyrenees.
The 116-mile stage began in Gap and also took riders up the Col d'Izoard and the Col du Lautaret climbs.
World champion Tom Boonen of Belgium dropped out of the race after scaling the Col d'Izoard, which like the L'Alpe d'Huez is so tough that it defies classification in cycling's ranking system. Boonen had been trailing Robbie McEwen of Australia for the green jersey, given to the best sprinter.
Schleck, riding for Team CSC, pulled away from Damian Cunego of Italy over the last 1.2 miles to win his first Tour stage. Cunego was 11 seconds behind in second. Stefano Garzelli was third, 1:10 back.
Schleck, who won this year's Amstel Gold Race, called his first Tour stage victory a "dream come true."
"It makes me even more confident than I was before," Schleck said. "To win on the Alpe d'Huez is fantastic. ... I think I will need some more time to realize what has happened to me."
Fans flocked to the final climb, which contains 21 sharp bends, waving flags as the breakaway riders raced to the finish.
An Armstrong moment
Two years ago, Armstrong pulled away from the field at L'Alpe d'Huez in a time trial under tense conditions. The Texan was trailed in a car carrying a police sniper after he'd received death threats.
The lack of Armstrong's dominant presence has led to a far more open race this year. He was at L'Alpe d'Huez Tuesday and scaled the Alpine peak in a ride with friends Monday.
The three-week race is wide open this year, after favorites Ivan Basso -- who won the Giro d'Italia in May -- and 1997 Tour champion Jan Ullrich were among nine riders kicked out on the eve of the Tour after being implicated in a Spanish doping investigation.