David Lappartient replaces Brian Cookson as International Cycling Union president
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 21/09/17 3:10pm
Brian Cookson has been beaten by David Lappartient in the vote to be the International Cycling Union (UCI) president.
In his pre-vote speech, Britain's Cookson promised to double UCI's investment in women's cycling, while his French rival vowed to get rid of the "corruption" that has left the governing body with a "disastrous reputation".
Lappartient, the European Cycling Union (UEC) president, became the first Frenchman to take charge of the global body since Achille Joinard (1947-57).
Lappartient, the French federation president from 2009-2017, won 37 of the 45 votes by the UCI delegates at the governing body's congress during the road cycling world championships in Bergen, Norway.
"It is a great responsibility and I will endeavour in the next four years to be worthy of such trust," said Lappartient.
Cookson, a former British Cycling president, is the first UCI chief to serve only one term.
Cookson, elected in September 2013, succeeded Irishman Pat McQuaid and was desperate to secure a second term this September.
The heavy defeat is a reflection of what many observers have described as a lacklustre campaign and the damage done to Cookson's reputation by the negative headlines that have dogged British Cycling, the organisation he ran from 1997 to 2013.
Lappartient added: "I'm very happy with the result - 37 to 8 - that's a very big gap and I think it's because the national federations really understood it was important to have a strong leadership in the UCI because the program I shared with them was very strong.
"This program has the idea to promote the support of the national federations; that's something that they were really waiting for and for the conformity of the confederation.
"I also think that we need a strong leadership in the UCI with a president that must have a clear vision about the future."
