Line of Succession

In my youth, the beauty pageant, like Miss Universe this past Sunday, held some measure of importance in the American culture. For the most part, the contestants were easily recognizable regardless of their final overall standing, and their standing within the community profitted the community moreso than the contestant (the reverse unfortunately holding true today).

These days, the beauty pageant has been replaced by a multitude of reality based talent contests, like American Idol or Dancing with the Stars (both of which are like beauty pageants without the swimsuit and evening gown portions, although some of the ballroom dancing outfits are as revealing as some swim wear). And, if it wasn't for the infamous slip by Miss USA, Rachel Smith, I would have never known that the Miss Universe contest was even being aired.

So why bring this up on a cycling blog?

At the end of each pageant, everyone always knew the line of succession if Miss "insert contest name here" was unable to fulfill her appointed obligations. In light of the present doping undercurrent of professional cycling, who would be that 1st, 2nd, 3rd runner up, or if you prefer a political reference, who's Nancy Pelosi and how far down is she on that line of succession?

Take for example, the overall classification for the 1996 Tour de France. With the recent confession of Bjarne Riis that he had used multiple forms of performance enhancing drugs and with the organizers of the Tour, ASO, and the race's current director, Christian Prudhomme, calling for his title, who becomes the 1996 Champion?

General Classification - 1996 Tour de France
1. Bjarne Riis (Den) Telekom
2. Jan Ullrich (Ger) Telekom
3. Richard Virenque (Fra) Festina
4. Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Festina
5. Peter Luttenberger (Aut) Carrera
6. Luc Leblanc (Fra) Polti
7. Piotr Ugrumov (Rus) Roslotto
8. Fernando Escartin (Spa) Kelme
9. Abraham Olano (Spa) Mapei
10. Tony Rominger (Swi) Mapei
11. Miguel Indurain (Spa) Banesto

Jan Ullrich is currently under suspicion of doping, and the French duo of Virenque and Dufaux (3rd and 4th, respectively) were part of the Festina scandal that broke in 1998. So is the "true" champion Carrera's Peter Luttenberger? Who amongst the top finishers would actually hold up to the scrutiny and step forward to accept the title? Will the "real" 1996 Tour de France Champion please stand up?

Ten years later, we might possibly be at the same impasse should Floyd Landis be stripped of his 2006 title (inset cartoon was run last year on this blog, and in the Toronto Star; Peter Corrigan). Rumors have been rampant that 2nd place finisher, Oscar Pereiro, was part of Operacion Puerto, having the nickname of "Urko," while Andreas Kloden (3rd place) has fallen under "guilt by association" as a member of T-Mobile.

So who really won? At least we know who didn't...the fans!

MORE:
--Velonews: Pereiro threatens to leave cycling if asked for DNA
--Cyclingnews: Indurain: Riis does cycling no favours