BIOLOGICAL MALE WINS WOMEN’S ELITE DIVISION OF CYCLING RACE:

A biological male won the women’s elite division of a cycling race in Massachusetts on Saturday.

Austin Killips, who identifies as a transgender woman, won the Verge Northampton International Cyclocross held in Northampton.

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The wins were not the first by Killips this year. The cyclocross competitor has also kept biological women off the podium in other women’s races, including a third-place finish at the Women’s Elite Cyclocross in Rochester, New York, in September, along with two wins in other events in Massachusetts.

Killips made headlines in 2019 as a cyclocross racer, later becoming the first biological male to race in the sport’s World Cup in the women’s field. In an interview on the topic, Killips called the achievement significant.

“I haven’t pored over records, but I think I’m the first trans woman to race a World Cup in the Women’s field. I know Molly [Cameron] has raced, but she’s always raced the Men’s category,” Killips said. “I do think it’s significant and notable. You know, when I’m at bike races and have other queer and trans folks come up to me, it’s super meaningful, and I guess I’m very aware you can’t just separate the two out. When I’m training and racing, I’m just a bike racer. I’m out here competing with these people.”

America’s Newspaper of Record produced a video last year exploring this topic: