Trans Cyclist Austin Killips Wins Women's Race By Over FIVE Minutes; Female Competitor Calls Out Lack of Fairness
Austin Killips is a male cyclist who entered the women's category and easily won the Belgian Waffle Ride 131-mile course in North Carolina on Saturday.
After the race, second-place female cyclist Paige Onweller called out Killips' advantage as a transgender competitor. She called for event organizers to create a separate category in order to preserve fairness in the women's category.
Austin Killips, A Man, Dominates Women's Race
According to CyclingNews.com, Killips led the female competitors by such a large margin that the broadcast coverage shifted to covering only the top three cyclists.
Killips took the lead early on. He pushed to win with more than a five-minute lead over Paige Onweller in the second-place spot.
The first-place win awarded Killips a $5,000 prize pot over Onweller.
via CyclingNews.com
Austin Killips joins the growing list of trans athletes, specifically male-to-female, drastically affecting women's chances of competing for first place.
In her statement, via race release, Onweller vouched for equality among competitors of different identities. Onweller didn't hesitate to call out Killips' advantage in the race as a man competing against women.
Onweller Calls For Resolve From UCI
"For those following women’s road cycling, you are aware of the UCI rule that this is currently allowed," Onweller's statement read, in part.
The Union Cycliste Internationale cycling governing body sanctioned Killips' decision to join the women's race in North Carolina on Saturday.
Onweller statement's added,
"Rather than sharing my personal opinions about the UCI rule, I think it’s most important to recognize that all athletes, no matter how they identify, should have a space to compete and race. Additionally, underneath all helmets is a face and a person who deserves respect, dignity and a safe space to ride bikes.
"In the future, I feel a separate category is appropriate, but event promoters are also learning what is best to preserve both female cycling while also creating an inclusive space for all to ride. These things take both time and grace to resolve.
"I plan to continue to support and attend BWR events in the future as I trust they will navigate this with respect for all riders going forward. I want to thank all event promoters for the work they do and the difficulty they face in these decisions."
Austin Killips' Contested Past
In late April, Killips placed first in the women's category at the Tour of the Gila.
Killips (far right) celebrates a podium finish in January. (Photo by DAVID PINTENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Killips' win earned him a $35,000 prize pot over second-place cyclist Marcela Prieto, a biological female.
The trans cyclist's history of aggression against female competitors also draws questions.
According to a report from Reduxx, Killips joined the women's category at the UCI Cyclocross National Championship in 2022. Killips attempted to push female cyclist Hannah Arensman off the racing course several times.
Arensman, a 35-time cyclocross champ, presented the incident to the governing body's attention. She decided to walk away from the sport due to their lack of resolve.
Like Riley Gaines, Taylor Silverman and other athletes in support of women's rights, Onweller is a direct witness to the physical edge that a male competitor holds.
As calls grow for transgender athletes to compete only against competitors of the same sex, so does the fight to support women in sports.