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The UCI needs root and branch reform, you can't govern sport through committees and vested interests.
Cookson gets criticised for his efforts here, but he tried at least.
Lappartient seems totally focused on pro men's road racing, but that's just a small part of what the UCI does. I wish him well, but one of his campaign promises was to immediately introduce stiffer penalties for motorised doping, which doesn't seem like a priority to me.
andyp-
Yes it does, but it won't happen. I do think the election of Lappartient mirrors the election of Infantino at FIFA: more of what came before, while Cookson wasn't there to service the vested interests of things like ASO. I also think the French are trying to circle the wagons to protect their races and others on the European calender. There was a lot of entrenched resistance to Cookson changing anything, so his presidency was hamstrung.
And the elephant in the room is that cunt McQuaid. He has been actively lobbying against Cookson and the rumours are he may get invited back into the UCI, which is a fucking disaster. Also Makarov (sp) was the power-broker for Cookson, and by and large he seems to have abandoned him.
Jimmy_Fingers
I'm thinking it may be whole load of meh (except I hope myour mate keeps his job). I certainly don't think Cookson has fulfilled the promises when he beat McQuaid, but he was certainly moving in the right direction. However he was doing so much to the chagrin of many, Marc Madiot was scathing of him, accusing him of prioritising races like The Surrey Classic and other monied yet less traditional races over the more storied, continental ones. I certainly see this as a power shift back to mainland Europe and France, and traditional European racing. What it will mean for innovation, I doubt there will much, and there's a good chance the women's side will suffer. Instead I think there will be more luddism from the French, talk again of banning race radios and power meters.