Cycling governing body defends transgender participation rules after uproar

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Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body for sports cycling defended Austin Killips after the transgender female cyclist picked up an overall victory in the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico.

Killips broke free from the pack in the final minutes of the race. Killips clocked in at 3:07:16 defeating Marcela Prieto and Cassandra Nelson in the stage. Killips became the first transgender female to win a UCI stage race.

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From left to right, Belgian Marion Norbert Riberolle, Dutch Denise Betsema and American Austin Killips pictured on the podium after the women's elite race of the "Kasteelcross" cyclocross cycling event, race 7/8 in the "Exact Cross" competition Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 in Zonnebeke, Belgium. (DAVID PINTENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Killips’ win caused a massive uproar on social media. However, the UCI came out in defense of its policy.

"The UCI acknowledges that transgender athletes may wish to compete in accordance with their gender identity," the organization said Tuesday.

"The UCI rules are based on the latest scientific knowledge and have been applied in a consistent manner. The UCI continues to follow the evolution of scientific findings and may change its rules in the future as scientific knowledge evolves."

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Austin Killips pictured on the podium after the women's elite race of the "Kasteelcross" cyclocross in January 2023. (DAVID PINTENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

The UCI tightened its rules for transgender female riders to compete against biological