Lance Armstrong "has no place in cycling" and has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after the sport's world governing body, the UCI accepted the findings of the United States Anti-Doping Agency's investigation.

Armstrong refused to co-operate with Usada, who earlier this month published a 1,000-page report that concluded the Texan and his United States Postal Service team ran "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, the UCI had 21 days to respond, until 31 October, and the president Pat McQuaid announced on Monday that cycling's world governing body would accept Usada's findings and ratified the sanctions imposed on Armstrong. The former rider has been stripped of all results since 1 August, 1998 and banned for life.