Hein Verbruggen is prepared to fight for his UCI role

Former International Cycling Union (UCI) chief Hein Verbruggen says he will fight any attempt to remove him as honorary president.

Verbruggen, who was criticised by the inquiry into the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, is also seeking legal advice on what he describes as a "scandalously biased" report.

The Independent Commission for Reform in Cycling's (CIRC) report concluded that, under Verbruggen's leadership, the UCI had colluded with Armstrong to cover up allegations the seven-times Tour de France winner had doped.

Verbruggen has now written to all UCI board members saying he has put the "scandalously biased" report - which he also calls a "character assassination" - into the hands of lawyers.

He also rejected a call from current UCI president Brian Cookson to resign his honorary presidency.

In his letter Verbruggen says: "Mr Cookson is in for a surprise if he thinks that I will accept this scandalously biased CIRC report, and the same goes for taking away my honorary title.

"Indeed, the last word about the CIRC report has not yet been written. I would like to make you aware that I am having the report analysed by Swiss lawyers."

The lengthy letter added: "It has become clear that what I am dealing with here is simply a personal revenge campaign against me by Mr Cookson."

Verbruggen also claims the 2.8million euros cost of the CIRC report has effectively been wasted.

After the CIRC report was published in March, Cookson said he would write to Verbruggen to ask him to step down as honorary president, saying he had made "serious errors of judgment and wrong decisions".

On Monday, Cookson said he would not get dragged into a public war of words with Verbruggen.

He said: "I think Mr Verbruggen's letter speaks for itself. Those who have read the CIRC report will understand where the UCI went wrong in the past, including the conflicts it needlessly got into and which seriously damaged its credibility. I was elected to change the way the UCI conducts itself and I won't be drawn into this kind of public conflict."