Cycling:Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond has called on International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid to step down for the good of the sport.
The American is prepared to run for the presidency of the UCI in the short-term but has suggested former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency Dick Pound as a long-term alternative.
The 51-year-old believes a change is needed at the top in the wake of a number of doping scandals, that culminated in Lance Armstrong being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after the United States Anti-Doping Agency accused him of orchestrating the most sophisticated doping programme in sporting history.
“It is now or never to act,” said LeMond, who was asked to run by Change Cycling Now, a newly-formed pressure group which held a conference in London over the weekend. “After the earthquake caused by the Armstrong case, another chance will not arise. I’m ready. I was asked and I accepted. If we want to restore public confidence and sponsors, we must act quickly and decisively otherwise, cycling will die.
“Riders do not understand that if we continue like this, there will soon be no money in cycling.”
LeMond, now the only American recognised to have won the Tour de France, questioned whether Irishman McQuaid, president since 2005, was the best candidate.
"I am willing to invest to make this institution more democratic, transparent and look for the best candidate in the longer term," he added in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde. "I think someone like Dick Pound is perfect in terms of ethics, who has real experience in the fight against doping and corruption.
“If Pat McQuaid really loves cycling, as he claims, he would have resigned. He could say, ‘Okay, I made mistakes, but now I quit to find a new leader for the UCI'.”