Pat McQuaid is replaced at the head of the world’s cycling federation – the UCI – by Brian Cookson, who was voted in during the UCI Congress in Florence today.

From Brian Cookson on the British Cycling website:

My election as President of the world cycling federation – the UCI – means that I can no longer continue as President of British Cycling.

I am sorry to leave an organisation which I have seen make extraordinary progress over the last 16 years, but I am absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity to bring about the changes that cycling needs worldwide.

Read Cookson’s entire statement over at www.britishcycling.org.uk