ORTHEZ, France (Reuters) - The 16th stage of the Tour de France was delayed on Wednesday when the six French and two German teams competing in the race protested against doping.

The 218.5-km stage from Orthez to the Col d'Aubisque should have started at 0840GMT but French and German team riders were involved in discussions with race director Christian Prudhomme after Tuesday's announcement that Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan had tested positive for blood-doping.

The teams, Agritubel, AG2r, Francaise des Jeux, Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, Credit Agricole, Gerolsteiner and T-Mobile, have formed a Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC), asking for all teams to abide by their good behaviour charter of 2005.

Under the charter, teams are requested to avoid fielding riders implicated in doping affairs.

Vinokourov's Swiss Astana team, backed by Kazakh companies, pulled out of the Tour after his positive test.

The stage eventually got under way without the French and German teams, although they got going two minutes behind the rest of the peloton.