Brian Cookson has been elected president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), defeating incumbent Pat McQuaid after a contentious campaign to take over cycling's governing body in the wake of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

The bitter battle for the presidency of cycling's governing body took another twist today as the two candidates, incumbent Pat McQuaid and challenger Brian Cookson, were involved in another angry exchange.

With embattled UCI president Pat McQuaid in an intense contest for his job against British challenger Brian Cookson, the cycling body's election rules are suddenly set to be changed.

The 2014 edition of the Giro d'Italia grand tour will begin in Ireland, race organizers revealed in Ireland earlier today.