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Bob Howden, the acting chair of British Cycling has been elected as British Cycling’s new president. He was voted in at British Cycling’s annual National Council meeting, held this year in Crewe.
Howden has served as British Cycling’s acting chair since former president Brian Cookson took up his post as president of the UCI in September. Howden has been a board member for the past 13 years. He has also been the chair of the Yorkshire region since its inception in 2001.
Howden, said:
“I am delighted to have been elected as British Cycling’s president with a mandate to push on with ensuring that British Cycling is achieving its objectives. We will remain true to what has become our tradition: to succeed on the world stage and to inspire people to enjoy riding their bikes more often, be it for sport, recreation or transport.
“Brian Cookson is a tough act to follow – especially when you look at the amazing roll call of successes that British Cycling has enjoyed under his leadership. We are certainly riding high and it’s now my job to ensure that we build on this. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.”
British Cycling’s Chief Executive, Ian Drake, said:
“Bob Howden has a long history of working for the sport at all levels – from working as a volunteer and a commissaire, to leading a Regional Board and sitting on various Ccommissions – he truly knows cycling inside out. There is no better person to build on the foundations Brian Cookson laid for cycling in Great Britain.”
Howden has previously served as chair of the regional commission, the commissaire and referees commission, and the anti-doping commission, as well as being a member of the audit and assurance commission.
He raced for 24 years and was a former junior division road champion, and represented West Yorkshire at senior level. He also has significant experience as a race organiser. Howden was founder and shair of the Yorkshire Festival of Cycling and organised the national Elite Road Race Championships in 2005, 2008 and 2012. Howden also organised the annual Ryedale Grand Prix Premier Calendar Road Race between 2005 and 2012.
Howden is managing director of Ongoing Developments, a group of companies that includes the Grasscrete paving system.
