Cyclist Austin Killips, a transgender woman, on Saturday won the women's title in the Third Annual Belgian Waffle Ride, an elite cycling competition, in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
Killips placed first in the women's "Waffle" route, the 131-mile course that tracks through the Blue Ridge Mountains, with a time of 8 hours, 28 minutes and 7 seconds. Paige Onweller placed second with a time of 8 hours, 32 minutes and 32 seconds.
"I am just really proud to lay it out there and get the result. I asserted myself and was able to get a gap early," Killips said in an interview after the race, according to the New York Post.
"We were kind of all riding together for quite a while and, you know, I have a cross background and I am going to attack these single-track sections as hard as I can and did that. I hammered [it] and was able to stay clear," Killips added.
Onweller said after the race that she wanted to address "some controversy" over Killips being a trans woman, saying: "For those following women's road cycling, you are aware of the UCI [Union Cycliste Internationale] rule that this is currently allowed.
"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."
Onweller continued: "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."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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