One of Britain’s most prestigious women’s cycling races is on the verge of being saved 24 hours after its longstanding sponsor pulled out in protest at British Cycling’s suspension of its transgender policy.
The Women’s CiCLE classic in Melton, Leicestershire, which has been won by the Tokyo Olympic medallists Katie Archibald and Neah Evans, had looked to be an unwitting victim of British Cycling’s decision to bar the trans woman cyclist Emily Bridges racing against female riders pending a review.
This move came after numerous members – and voices within the sport – raised concerns that Bridges, who broke the national junior 25-mile record as a male before transitioning, would have an unfair advantage in the female category due to retained strength and other advantages.
However, others, including the main sponsor of the Women’s CiCLE race, Peter Stanton, strongly disagreed. On Tuesday he withdrew his £15,000 sponsorship in protest – leaving the women’s and junior race on the same day in June under threat. The men’s event, later this month, was unaffected.
On Wednesday Sex Matters and Fair Play for Women, two groups campaigning for sex-based rights, made a formal offer to make up the cash shortfall so that all events can take place.
The CiCLE Classics race director, Colin Clews, acknowledged the bid and said that he “had been overwhelmed by messages of support for women’s cycling”. He said: “We will consider all offers of sponsorship to deliver the race in 2022 and support its future development.”
Dr Emma Hilton, a director of Sex Matters, said they had offered to ride to the rescue because female cyclists needed their own races for “brilliant women to race fairly and competitively”. A similar message was conveyed by Dr Nicola Williams, the director of Fair Play for Women, who said: “We believe there should be a place for everyone in sport, but fair competition for women depends on keeping it female-only.”
Under British Cycling’s previous policy, trans women were allowed to compete if they reduced their testosterone levels below 5 nmol/L for a 12-month period. However, the emergence of Bridges, who began hormone therapy last year as part of her gender dysphoria treatment and raced in men’s events until February, led to a hasty rethink.
Stanton said he believed that the decision was “totally unacceptable” and that by withdrawing his sponsorship he could show his support for the transgender community. “Whilst fully supportive of women’s sport, I also have many friends and colleagues within the transgender community whom I feel that I would be letting down if I did not make a stand to show my support for their rights,” he said.
“This is not the first case of a transgender rider competing under UCI rules, or even as part of an official UCI team, and to arbitrarily change that position based on one individual case, I find totally unacceptable. I am desperately saddened by the Emily Bridges case and the actions that it has prompted me to take.”
