Austin Killips first transgender woman to win an official cycling race. Furious controversy: “It’s like doping”

Austin Killipsborn a boy in Chicago 27 years ago but in the meantime become a woman, became the first athlete transgender to win a race on the official calendar uci (International Cycling Union). It happened at Tour of the Gilain New Mexico, in the United States. Killips took her title by finishing first on the fifth and final stage, also wearing the ‘queen of the mountains’ jersey for best climber. A success that brought to mind those of another American, Leah Thomasthe swimmer born in 1999 who, after competing among men, in 2019 began the transition using hormone replacement therapy and became a trans woman.

Inga Thompson: “They’re killing women’s cycling”

Killips’ win has reignited controversy over transgender female athletes competing in women’s events. Inga Thompsonthree times at Olympic Games with the USA team, winner of three silver medals in as many Road World Championships between 1987 and 1991, she was the most critical, arguing that the UCI “is killing women’s cycling”.

Killips, who started racing in 2019 and also competes in cyclo-cross, wrote on Instagram: “After a week of internet nonsense, I’m especially grateful to everyone in the sport who continues to argue that Twitter isn’t real life. I want to well to my colleagues and opponents. I am grateful for every opportunity I have to learn and grow both as a person and as an athlete.” “Austin is the cycling equivalent of Lia Thomas”, retorted Thompson, interviewed by the Telegraph Sport. Last year Thomas won a U.S. women’s collegiate title (which was later stripped of her), after finishing 554th nationally in the equivalent men’s category.

Alison Sydor: “This situation is no different from doping”

“There are more than 50 transgender women in this sport – continued Thompson – and their presence means that, in the general indifference, many women abandon the competition: they leave without even trying to protest anymore”. The Canadian’s reaction was also very harsh Alison Sydorsilver in cross country at Atlanta 1996: “Killips’ participation in women’s competitions – he said – is functionally no different from doping”.

The UCI: “We respect the rules but we can change them by following science”

The UCI defended its rules, stressing that “they are based on the most recent scientific knowledge and have been applied consistently”. It added that it “continues to follow the evolution of scientific discoveries” and that it “may change its regulations in the future as they evolve”. Transgender women were required to lower their testosterone levels to 2.5 nmol/L over a 24-month period before competing in women’s events. In 2022 the UCI – in the wake of the events of the British Emily Bridges, one of the strongest transgender competitors in cycling – tightened the rules on eligibility, bringing the level to 5 nmol/L for 12 months.