The runner-up in a USA Cycling race recently spoke out after losing to a transgender competitor.
Julie Peterson, the cyclist who finished second, expressed her frustration, saying, “If I had known, perhaps I wouldn’t have spent a fortune on this trip or taken a break from work to race.”
Peterson was bested by Kate Phillips, who claimed the gold medal at the Lions Masters National Championship in Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Following her second-place finish, Peterson chose not to take the podium as a form of protest.
She remarked, “I said, ‘I don’t want to compete with guys,’ but was quickly corrected, ‘Oh, you can’t call him a guy.'”
Her stance has resonated with other female cyclists, reportedly sparking frustration among them.
Peterson noted she wasn’t aware of Phillips’s participation when she entered the race, raising questions about the clarity from officials regarding who was competing.
“It was evident he had significant power,” she said, in reference to Phillips.
Another cyclist, Debbie Milne, who came in seventh, sided with Peterson, criticizing USA Cycling’s policies.
“To be fair, he was born a biological man. That’s a fact, and it gives him an unfair advantage,” Milne stated. “Whatever comes after that is a different discussion.”
Milne emphasized the distinct advantages associated with being born male when competing against women.
Reflecting on her 25 years of racing, she mentioned, “There are experiences only women understand that a biological man wouldn’t.”
She added, “When you’re racing, knowing you’re at a disadvantage due to your physical condition—that’s something unique to women.”
Like Peterson, Milne was unaware that she would be racing against transgender athletes.
“I drove for 13 hours to attend a national championship. I honestly had no idea what to expect,” Milne said. “I’d like to know what the terminology is, but it wasn’t made clear.”
Christina Gray, another experienced cyclist who didn’t participate in the recent race, shared her own challenges competing against biological men throughout her career.
“In the past decade, I have had to race alongside biological men and even been pushed onto the podium with them,” Gray explained, noting that in Oregon, some races even feature biological men on weekends.
In response to these experiences, three upset female cyclists reached out to the Independent Council on Women’s Sports to raise awareness about the race outcomes.
This post reached out to US Cycling and Phillips for comments.
According to reports, US Cycling’s Transgender Eligibility Policy permits biological men to compete in women’s categories under specific conditions, including a declaration of gender identity and meeting certain eligibility criteria.
- A written declaration must be provided to the US Cycling Technical Director stating an individual’s gender identity as female.
- Athletes must satisfy the Elite Athletes’ Equity Assessment Process to participate in national championships.
