The Tour de France set out here on Thursday for the 17th stage rocked by the doping scandal that has ousted yet another rider: yellow jersey leader Michael Rasmussen.

Rasmussen was kicked out of the race by his Dutch team Rabobank late on Wednesday for lying about where he was last month - he had said he was in Mexico when in fact he was in Italy.

There had also been revelations that he had missed four random, out-of-competition dope tests over the past 18 months.

Despite the devastation, Rabobank informed Tour organizers before the start of Thursday's stage that it planned to let its seven remaining riders continue racing, their sporting director Erik Breukink confirmed.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme, speaking at a specially convened press conference before the start of Thursday's stage, said: "Rasmussen's exit is the best thing that can happen to the Tour.

"The race will start without him and the yellow jersey will be given out after the stage."

Commenting on Rabobank's decision to kick the Dane out Prudhomme said: "The lack of clarity became too much for Rabobank. When Rasmussen gave a press conference his answers were too vague and aroused suspicion in his team."

Rasmussen's sensational exit followed the Cofidis team's decision to pull out after their rider, Italian Cristian Moreni, had tested positive for testosterone.

On Tuesday the Astana team of pre-race favourite Alexandre Vinokourov pulled out after the Kazakh star tested positive for homologous blood doping following his victory on the 13th stage's time trial in Albi.

Prudhomme, when asked why Rabobank had not been forced to pull out like Cofidis and Astana, replied: "Rabobank are starting the race. In other teams there have been positive doping tests but not for Rasmussen's team.

"Astana and Cofidis acted accordingly, they took their responsibilities. The race will go on for the rest of the riders and we believe it would be an insult to them to stop the race.

"We believe the general classification is much better now than it was."

Rasmussen's expulsion has left Spain's Alberto Contador as the de facto leader of the depleted peloton.