OREANDA-NEWS. March 18, 2011. Igor Makarov, President of the Russian Cycling Federation, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ITERA International Group of Companies, leader of the All-Russia Cycling Project was elected member of the Executive Committee of (UCI), reported the press-centre of ITERA.

Congress of the Union Europeenne de Cyclisme (UEC) was held in Zrece (Slovenia) on March 6. Election of UEC representatives to the Executive Committee of UCI was held at the Congress.
Nine candidates from various cycling federations qualified for the two seats in the UCI Executive Committee. Igor Makarov, President of the Russian Cycling Federation, leader of the All-Russia Cycling Project (currently includes four teams: Katyusha, a professional team, ITERA-Katyusha, a continental team, and two youth teams for athletes of up to 23 years old and 21 years old).

As a result, by a majority vote Igor Makarov was elected member of the UCI Executive Committee from the European Cycling Union. 25 European Federations voted for Igor Makarov, President of the Russian Cycling Federation, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ITERA International Group of Companies. David Lappartien, President of the Cycling Federation of France, got the second seat in the UCI Executive Committee. 21 European Federations voted for him.

The victory of Igor Makarov in the elections to the UCI Executive Committee from the Union Europeenne de Cyclisme returned Russia its presence in the leadership of the main cycling organization of the world. This will allow the Russian Cycling Federation to participate in making all far-reaching decisions in the world cycling. These will influence the development of cycling not only in Europe, but primarily in our country. The UCI Executive Committee is a managing body of cycling around the globe. It creates and builds up the policy of this sport.

After the management of ITERA, Gazprom and Rostechnologii initiated establishing an All-Russia Cycling Project in 2008 and then implemented this decision by establishing four Russian teams that participate in all competitions of international and national levels and started at the same time a full-fledged reconstruction of cycling inside the country, the election of Igor Makarov to the UCI Executive Committee is a logical extension of the policy of development and renaissance of the Russian cycling sport.

Its own representative’s presence with the UCI Executive Committee would allow the Russian Cycling Federation to reach a new level in its desire to bring the national cycling to the level of the world leaders by way of developing the national and international calendars, establishing a larger number of teams (road racing, track, mountain bike, BMX) to perform at a world level, increasing the number of people involved in bicycling, holding important bicycle competitions in Russia, including races of the World Tour and European Championship among professionals.

- When working in the managing committee of UCI, I am prepared to use my experience and available resources, to pay all possible attention to the development of cycling not only in Russia, but also to contribute to the growth of prestige of cycling in the world of sports, so that it corresponds to the level of achievements by representatives of this complicated and, at the same time, unique sport, - I.V. Makarov said at a briefing on the election results.