A women’s national cycling championship in Wisconsin has ignited fierce debate after a transgender athlete claimed victory. This prompted the runner-up to boycott the podium ceremony in protest.
Julie Cutts-Peterson, who finished second in the 55-and-over women’s race, refused to participate in the medal ceremony after Kate ‘KJ’ Phillips secured first place. Speaking about her decision to take a stand, Peterson delivered a pointed statement about biological differences that has resonated across the cycling community.
“There’s no amount of makeup, money or marketing that can change that ‘Y’ chromosome,” Peterson declared, explaining her rationale for the boycott. The veteran cyclist, who is a member of the Independent Council of Women’s Sports, described the moment during the race when she knew something was amiss.
Peterson had been positioned second behind race leader Debbie Milne, a 27-time Masters national champion, during the final sprint. “Debbie was clearly going to win the race. I was second on her wheel. She was the race leader to watch. And out of nowhere came third place, KJ, and beat us both in the sprint,” Peterson recounted.
The finish left Peterson with a distinct impression based on her extensive racing experience. “I’ve raced thousands of races against women. And not thousands, a hundred races against women. Thousands in group rides sprinting against men. And I knew at that sprint that that was a man’s sprint,” she explained.
The controversy extends beyond the race outcome to questions about transparency in the registration process. Multiple competitors allege they were unaware Phillips would be participating, despite checking registration lists up until the final deadline.
Milne, who traveled 13 hours from Greenville, South Carolina, and spent $400 to compete, expressed frustration about the lack of disclosure. “I should have been able to see it. I should have been able to look someone up and decide if I’m even going to make the trip until they get the policies worked out,” she told reporters.
Peterson corroborated these concerns, stating she had examined the race start list and found Phillips’ name absent from the registration. “This person’s name was not on Bike Ridge Riders registration list. And which means we were not given the information that he would be racing in our category before the race started,” she said.
The timing of Phillips’ registration adds controversy. Peterson revealed she possesses documentation showing the registration was completed on June 18th at 4:48 p.m., suggesting there was sufficient time for proper disclosure to other competitors.
When asked who she believed was responsible for concealing the information, Peterson pointed to USA Cycling and Bike Reg, indicating this practice has been ongoing since 2023. She noted that women have been emailing USA Cycling specifically to inquire whether transgender athletes would be competing in their categories.
Phillips, who previously competed in rugby and has been participating in women’s competitions for two decades, defended her involvement in past statements. The transgender athlete argued that opposition stems from broader cultural tensions and maintained that exclusionary policies harm women’s cycling by perpetuating patriarchy and misogyny.
Despite the heated nature of the debate, competitors like Milne have been careful to emphasize their position stems from competitive fairness rather than personal animosity. “Every person has value,” Milne insisted, advocating for separate competitive categories rather than exclusion.
The incident shows the ongoing tensions within cycling’s governing bodies over transgender participation policies. USA Cycling’s current framework divides athletes into two groups with different requirements, though questions remain about implementation and transparency.
When contacted for comment, USA Cycling did not provide a detailed response, instead simply referring to their transgender eligibility policy. Under current guidelines, athletes need only submit a written declaration to the cycling technical director confirming their gender identity as female.
