Trans athlete places first overall in women's division of iconic US cycling competition

SILVER CITY, N.M. (TND) — Transgender athleteAustin Killips took home the overall victory in New Mexico's 2023 "Tour of the Gila" women's division, the race has announced.

Killips, who is a transgender woman, took home part of the total prize purse of $35,350.

That total prize purse was made possible by donations in an effort to make the women's prize purse equal to the men's, and the matching pots were said to be a first in theTour of the Gila’s 36-year history.

Austin Killips @AmyD_Foundation put an exclamation point on her overall race lead Sunday by winning Stage 5 Gila Monster and taking home the overall victory at Tour of the Gila," the race announced on Twitter Monday.

There has been significant pushback against Killips's win, with critics claiming her inclusion was unfair to biological women. It's the latest in an ongoing saga of controversy regarding transgender inclusion in women's sports.

Tour of the Gila's Twitter account limited replies on its announcement of Killips's win to only users it followed, which prevented critics from replying. However, many quote tweeted with criticism.

Bloke who pretends to be a woman thrashes nearest actual female cyclist by ONE HOUR - yet would have been 19th in the men's race, where he belongs," British journalist Martin Daubney said on Twitter. "It's time to end the cruel, unfair charade of biological men in women's sports!"

Biological men in women's sports have an unfair advantage," legendary "Monty Python" actor John Cleese said on Twitter after hearing the news about Killips's victory.

The topic of transgender inclusion in women's sports has been a hot political issue for some time now. Transgender athlete Lia Thomas, who swam for the University of Pennsylvania, ignited much of the conversation after repeatedly dominating at women's meets and championships.

In the United States, some lawmakers are drafting legislation that would prohibit transgender athletes from participating in any women's sports. So far, at least 16 states have enacted such legislation.

A majority of Americans reportedly don't support trans females competing in women's and girls' sports. Safety and fairness are usually the reasons critics are against transgender inclusion in women's sports.

Killips's defeated opponent, Emily Ehrlich, came in second place in the fifth stage race by only ten seconds, according to ChippedIn.Killips is reportedly the first openly transgender woman to winTour of the Gila's women's division. Overall second place went toMarcela Prieto.

Critics are calling Prieto the actual winnerof the race's women's division.

Killips's team reportedly leaned on her for the victory.

We really wanted to get into a break,” the team director of Killips's sponsor, Julie Kuliecza,said in a release. “We thought that there was going to be something that would go right after the second sprint point, and we wanted a rider in that break so that when Austin and the other GC riders came up to it, Austin would have someone to help them and protect them, and it worked out perfectly.”

Tour of the Gila is anearly 66-mile race run in Silver City, New Mexico that has almost 5,500 feet of elevation.