The Briton is seeking a second term as the UCI President, with the organisation’s vice-president Lappartient the only confirmed rival after the nomination deadline passed on June 22.

Cookson, who turned 66 on the same day, released a statement questioning the detail in Lappartient’s plan for the future of cycling following confirmation of his candidacy.

The UCI President claims he does not understand his rival’s assertion that recent reforms to men’s professional cycling had failed to meet challenges faced in the discipline.

“I am baffled by that,” Cookson told insidethegames.

“If David thinks that has failed, I am afraid he has been the President of the Professional Cycling Council for the last four years.

“That is almost an admission of failure on his own behalf.

“I do not think those changes have failed, we have got a work in progress and there are still things to do.

“We had a very productive meeting of the Professional Cycling Council [this week] and we had great agreement and support from the organisers, teams and riders.

“We collaborate, discuss and reach consensus in those meetings.

“I am baffled as to why David should think that is a failure.

“If it is an admission of failure on his own behalf, that is maybe something the UCI need to look at for the future.”

Under the initial reforms, outlined in September 2015, 18 men’s professional teams would have been awarded three-year WorldTour licences teams, rather than awarding them annually.

WorldTour races would have also received licences for the same period of time, while a limited number were due to be added to the existing calendar.

Following a threat by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) to remove their races from the WorldTour, including the Tour de France, an agreement was reached between the organiser and the UCI last June.

The agreement, backed by Lappartient, saw ASO races remain on the WorldTour, while teams were awarded licences for two years, rather than three, with the number competing in the 2017 season set at 17.

The UCI added 10 events to the WorldTour calendar last August as part of the expanded series, although the Tour of Qatar was eventually cancelled due to a supposed lack of financial backing.

Cookson admitted the WorldTour remained a “work in progress” and stated he always aimed to achieve a balance of the interests of all stakeholders, including organisers, teams and riders.

He also pointed to an agreement, reached earlier this week, to reduce team sizes in Grand Tours to eight riders to improve safety in the peloton.

“I look at the calendar and think we have a very balanced calendar, we respect the heritage of our sport, but we can and have started to build around that,” he said.

“We have got some new events like the Strade Bianche in Europe and we have successful events in other parts of the world, we are seeing those develop.

“The WorldTour is now becoming more of a genuine WorldTour.

“We have put new safety procedures in place, we have got more training for people who are driving vehicles near the races.

“We have reduced the number of vehicles and the field sizes now to make them more manageable, which will also hopefully increase the attractiveness and unpredictability of the racing.

“We have appointed a number of coordinators, who are themselves are experienced professional cyclists, and they work with organisers during the races to look at safety issues.

“I want to do more of that, in terms of the infrastructure and the operational work that goes into professional cycling.”

Cookson, who has claimed he is seeking only one more four-year term in office, was handed a boost earlier this month when BMX Freestyle and madison competitions were added to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic sport programme by the IOC.

The addition of the four medal events, Cookson believes, is evidence of the improved reputation the UCI have in the Olympic Movement under his leadership.

“The result we have got is a demonstration of the successful relationship we have built with the IOC and the growing reputation we have developed for our sport after where we were four years ago, when we were being threatened with removal from the Olympic programme altogether,” he said.

“We need to be thankful for what we have got and deliver a great programme in Tokyo, I am sure we can do that.

“I believe that will give a good incentive for the IOC to support our sport as it moves forward.

“We have never been in such a strong position with the Olympic Movement as we are today, as the third largest sport in the Summer Olympics.

“I am very happy we have achieved increases in our medals, that is the most important thing.

“I had a nice meeting with IOC President Thomas Bach last week, where he acknowledged the great progress we have made in cycling, in particular our efforts regarding anti-doping.”

As part of his manifesto for a second term as UCI President, Cookson has also pledged to achieve equal opportunity for women.

He claims a key aim is to make the Women’s WorldTour more economically sustainable in the coming years, with series now in its second year, having replaced the UCI Road World Cup in 2016.

“We have made a great start there, a lot more events in the calendar and racing opportunities for women,” Cookson said.

“We need to get the sponsors coming in more and make it more economically sustainable and viable, so we can increase the remuneration and prize money for riders to get a better balance between men’s and women’s professional riders.

“There is a long way to go yet, we have started on the journey and the Women’s WorldTour has been a big success.

“We have to make sure we keep working with the women who are running the teams, riding the races and the organisers who are running the races to ensure we do what works for them.”

Lappartient, the European Cycling Union President and former French Cycling Federation chief, is expected to unveil his manifesto in Düsseldorf on the eve of the Tour de France on June 30.

The election is due to take place during the UCI Congress in Bergen in Norway, which will take place on September 21.