On the eve of the start of the 2006 Tour de France in Strasbourg—the first TdF in seven years sans one dominating American rider, the first TdF since Pantani in 1998 that could complete the “double,” a tour that was simply oozing excitement before it even started—bombs were dropped in the wake of the now infamous Operación Puerto affair. Under immense pressure from the UCI, the tour organizers, sponsors, and non-affected teams, teams have suspended their riders implicated in the biggest doping scandal since Festina at the 1998 Tour. The initial list totaled 31 riders, with more being tacked on as we write. And we’re talking big name boys on the list. Jan shall not be redeemed. Basso can kiss his double hopes goodbye. It’s really incredibly disappointing that the first Tour in the post-Armstrong era has to be run under this cloud of scandal, whose outcome, no matter how special for one rider, will always contain asterisks and “what if’s.”

The biggest loser: Alexandre Vinokourov (currently kicking himself for choosing the doomed Astaná-Würth (formerly known as Liberty Seguros) over Ag2R). The biggest winner(s): Discovery Channel (currently licking its lips), Floyd, and Levi.