NICOSIA, Oct 19 (Reuters) - A moderate candidate won Turkish Cypriot presidential elections on Sunday, defeating a hardliner in a pivotal vote that could help revive stalled U.N. talks on reunifying Cyprus.

Centre-left politician Tufan Erhurman sailed to victory with 62.8% of the vote from just over 218,000 registered voters, defeating incumbent Ersin Tatar on a platform of reinvigorating talks with estranged Greek Cypriots on the future of Cyprus.

Erhurman, a lawyer, has pledged to explore a federal solution — long supported by the United Nations — to end the island’s nearly 50-year division.