Australia's Evans takes overall lead

HAUTACAM, France - Bruised and sore and aching from head to ankles, Cadel Evans stood on the podium with tears in his eyes and a yellow jersey on his back.

The Australian took the overall lead in the Tour de France on Monday after a punishing 10th stage through the Pyrenees. His surge to the front came a day after he tumbled over his handlebars, leaving him with a cracked helmet and a body coated with cuts. He feared his Tour de France was over.

"Yesterday, I was at what's for me been my Tour low," he said. "And today, up until this point in the Tour, it's been my Tour high. It's a bit an emotional roller coaster to say the least."

The 31-year-old Silence Lotto leader, a favorite going into the race, seized the lead from Kim Kirchen of Luxembourg in a stage won by Leonardo Piepolo of Italy on Bastille Day. Evans has the smallest possible lead - one second - over Frank Schleck of Luxembourg as the race takes a rest day today.

With nine riders within 2 minutes of Evans, the Tour appears wide open and poised for more racing drama at a time when organizers hope to get past the doping scandals that have battered the sport's image.

Lemont native Christian Vande Velde of the United States, the Garmin Chipotle team leader, held his own and kept third place, 38 seconds behind.