Farcical start to Stage 16

From the BBC website:

0951: Farcical scenes as a significant group of riders refuse to start when the hooter sounds, they apparently want to show their disapproval of doping. After 30 seconds or so, some riders at the back have enough and sneak their bikes through the crowd to get started. A stubborn group at the front refuse to budge however and are eventually greeted with boos from the crowd before they eventually start. What a way to get this stage going, it can only get better from here.

T-Mobile's Marcus Burghardt says: "We just wanted to make out feelings known. The authorities have to take stern measures against those riders they think are not clean."

Link: Live Stage updates

Tour wakes up to bad hangover

With the furore surrounding Alexandre Vinokourov's positive drug test and the withdrawal of the Astana team, Stage 16's 218.5km route from Orthez to Col d'Aubisque:

Link: Stage 16

... started in a somewhat farcical manner.

Link: Rider protest

Meanwhile, the fall-out from yesterday's news continues to dominate thoughts. Tour director Christophe Prudhomme insists the structure of the sport needs a complete overhaul.

Link: Prudhomme wants revolution

Continue to have your say on the biggest scandal to hit this year's Tour de France.

Has the Tour now lost all credibility? Was Astana right to withdraw their whole team? And where do we go from here?

Link: Isporty Forum

The Astana team have however confirmed that they will continue racing in other events.

Link: Team remains