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Bagneres-De-Luchon - Andy Schleck vowed to take revenge over Alberto Contador after finishing behind the defending champion following a mechanical problem in Monday's 15th stage.
The Saxo Bank rider started the day with the race leader's yellow jersey but his chain jumped off shortly after he launched an attack near the end of the 19.3-km ascent to the Port de Bales.
He was passed by Contador, who eventually gained 39 seconds after riding flat out with fellow Spaniard Samuel Sanchez and Russian Denis Menchov to take the yellow jersey by eight seconds.
The Luxembourg rider said he felt Contador and the other riders should have waited.
"I was feeling very good and I had a mechanical problem, I lost time, it happens, I won't cry, I lost the jersey but it's not over," Schleck told reporters. "My stomach is full of anger and I will take my revenge."
"It's not really nice but what can I say," added Schleck, who said Contador, Menchov and Sanchez would not win the "fair play prize" for their move.
The Schleck controversy was top of the Twitter worldwide trending.
"It's not over, the Tour is just starting, it motivates me for the Tourmalet (Thursday's stage with a mountain top finish).
"I don't think I would have wanted to take the jersey in such fashion," the Luxmebourg rider said,
Contador, who waited for Schleck when he crashed in the second stage to Spa, said he did not see the incident.
"I was told there was an incident but when I attacked I was not aware of it," the 27-year-old rider told reporters.
"When I got the word it had happened, it was too late, we already had gained a lot of time."
"Fair play or not, it's hard to tell," said Schleck's Saxo Bank manager Bjarne Riis. "He (Contador) waited a bit at the beginning, then, I don't know. Too bad."
