I am curious about the OP example. My statements were about that and why I didn't think it was cheating.
To the OP Lance example - the referee.
There was a mishap that could not be avoided. It cost Lance his position in the pack. The rule would be to stay on the course, so get back on the road where he went off and ride back on the road. Lance chose not to follow the rule due to his unfortunate circumstances he found himself in through no fault of his own. Lance gained an advantage crossing the field over following the rule of staying on the course. He broke a rule with intent to gain advantage - with the referees knowing all the facts. The referee's decided it was not cheating.
A non outlier example - Its not much different than the rider being paced back to the pack after a flat with referee knowledge.