Brian Cookson Archives

Brian Cookson

“Is sport a force for good? Or for battering people into submission?” Former UCI president Brian Cookson on Israel, sportswashing, banning nation state sponsors, and why protests highlight bike race security failures

“We’re ambivalent about so many things in cycling. Aren’t the crowds so enthusiastic? But on the other hand, it’s a disaster waiting to happen”

Fri, Oct 10, 2025 17:49

Israel-Premier Tech rider and Palestine protester; Brian Cookson

Former UCI president Brian Cookson calls for ban on nation states in cycling team names – as Tour de France Barcelona start in doubt over Israel-Premier Tech protests

Cookson believes such a rule change, which would also affect UAE Team Emirates and Bahrain-Victorious, would represent a “quick, partial, and undoubtedly imperfect way of moving things forward”

Tue, Sep 16, 2025 20:00

Brian Cookson at 2013 Junior World Track Championships

“Can you imagine any retailer of any other product getting away with that?” Ex-UCI president Brian Cookson uses baked beans analogy to hit out at “outrageous and incompetent” Warner Bros. Discovery for “trying to kill cycling for British customers”

Beanz Meanz Heinz, but TNT means… no cycling, at least according to former British Cycling chief Cookson

Tue, Feb 04, 2025 18:28

Sir Richard Wallace and Lagan towpath, Lisburn

Strangest anti-cycling campaigner ever? Bike path expansion plans opposed… by 19th-century landowner and MP (kind of); “They wouldn’t have stopped at the Tour de France”: Cyclists refuse to race after 50 riders crash in heavy rain + more on the live blog

Have you started your week like Mathieu van der Poel, bursting out of the traps? Or are you playing catch-up like Wout van Aert? In any case, Ryan Mallon’s here to keep you entertained as you slog through the ‘cross course of life on the Monday live blog

Mon, Feb 03, 2025 10:00

Stefan Kung crash at 2023 European time trial championships

Former UCI chief calls for crackdown on “crazy” head-down time trialling after Stefan Küng’s bizarre crash straight into barriers at European Championships

The Swiss rider suffered a fractured hand, a cracked cheekbone, and a minor concussion in the horror crash, as Britain’s Josh Tarling blew away the opposition to take gold

Wed, Sep 20, 2023 16:56

Brian Cookson at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle (source Briancookson.org).jpg

Brian Cookson pens outspoken critique of British Cycling at “crisis point” thanks to people “with no real knowledge” of cycling

"I'm not going to beat about the bush. It's time for straight talking," former UCI and British Cycling president writes in start-of-year blog

Wed, Jan 04, 2023 12:13

“Long may it continue”: Sir Chris Hoy says that he has experienced fewer close passes since the Highway Code revisions

Former UCI President Brian Cookson, however, thinks that some drivers are still taking “unquantifiable risks”

Sun, Mar 27, 2022 13:29

Brian Cookson at the site in Paris where the UCI was founded (source Brian Cookson Images, Flickr)

Cookson hoping to lead Lancashire cycling boom via elite women’s team

Wants to put home county “firmly on the cycling map”

Sat, Feb 24, 2018 15:25

Brian Cookson confirms he knew about Chris Froome test result

Bahrain-Merida team manager says most teams would have suspended rider

Sat, Dec 16, 2017 14:20

Sir Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky should have their reputations “reinstated” says Brian Cookson

“Ukad have not been able to put a case together so that's the end of the story"

Wed, Dec 06, 2017 13:00