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Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel React to Brian Cookson’s Reelection Bid

Lance Armstrong, alongside his former team manager Johan Bruyneel, have taken to social media to voice their reaction to the news that David Lappartient has decided to challenge incumbent UCI president Brian Cookson in the September election.

Both Armstrong and Bruyneel took to Twitter to express their criticism of Cookson, while neither explicitly threw their support to Lappartient.

Armstrong retweeted Lappartient’s announcement on Twitter, adding in a comment “ABC (Anybody But Cookson).” 

Armstrong has been critical of Cookson all along, saying he has a “lack of vision and inability to ‘take people down’.

During an interview with The Irish Times in 2015, Armstrong stated, “I don’t know Brian Cookson.” “I don’t know what his vision is for the sport. I don’t know if he is even able to form a vision.”

Bruyneel responded to Cookson’s initial reelection announcement on Twitter earlier this month, by tweeting, “Brian, I spared myself the time of reading your manifesto. You wrote a beautiful one 4 years ago, promised heaven and you did nothing.” “You did nothing other than spend 3mm € on a report which did nothing else than blaming the past 4 ur own benefit. Oh, and many selfies.”

Earlier this week, Bruyneel again expressed his criticisms of Cookson on Twitter.

“Hey @BrianCooksonUCI, do u really believe that Lappartient won’t run against u? @. Get ready. Actually, don’t… u will lose big time,” he wrote. 

Cookson defeated former UCI president Pat McQuaid back in 2013, running on a platform of reform and blaming his predecessor for cycling’s doping scandals

Lappartient is the current UCI vice-president and president of the European Cycling Union. He was previously the head of the French Cycling Federation (FFC).

Responding to the announcement of Lappartient’s challenge, Cookson released the following statement.

“Having changed the constitution of the UCI to introduce term limits and improve the election process after the controversial events of four years ago, I respect other people’s right to announce their candidature,” Cookson wrote in a statement on Tuesday. “I note that so far David Lappartient has not set out very much detail in his plan or any vision he may have beyond his well known personal ambition for the role. I look forward to debating what matters for the future of cycling over the coming months.”

The UCI elections will take place on September 21 during the UCI road World Championships in Norway.

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