McQuaid: UCI vote must be respected

Irishman Pat McQuaid has promised not to prolong the bitter battle over the presidency of the International Cycling Union (UCI) if he is deposed from office by British challenger Brian Cookson in Friday’s vote.

The winner requires at least 22 of the 42 votes to prevail in Florence and, although he is confident of being elected to serve a third four-year term in office, McQuaid will accept the result if it does not go his way.

He hopes Cookson will, too, in a presidential race which has featured numerous verbal barbs, criticisms and controversy over the legislation and its interpretation.