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Tour of Gila competition director speaks out directly about Austin Killips’s win

‘This could kill cycling,' Michael Engleman says

Womens Tour of the Gila Photo by: Tour of the Gila

The Tour of Gila competition director has spoken publicly about Austin Killips’s win at the stage race in New Mexico. On Tuesday, former professional cyclist Michael Engleman gave an interview to The Telegraph about the recent women’s race, won by Killips. Killips, 27, is a transgender cyclist who transitioned in 2019. After the victory, social media was filled with vitriol for the rider.

Riding according to current rules

It should be noted that the Amy D. Foundation team member had done nothing wrong, as Killips is well within the rules. The UCI has announced that they will be reopening a discussion on the issue in August, but as of now, Killips is perfectably able to compete. With the win, Killips became the first transwoman to win a UCI stage race. As well as the overall, Killips took the Queen of the Mountains and the final, decisive stage.

In the interview with The Telegraph, the 64-year-old Engleman warned that the win could “kill the sport.”

Engleman riding at the 1994 World elite championships with teammate Marty Jemison, Photo: Sirotti

“I know how hard it is to get people to put money into a women’s team, at any level,” he said. “And now they’re asking, ‘Is this something I can touch? What if an athlete says the wrong thing?’ This is harming the sport. It’s a reality that somebody has to speak about.”

Threats to Tour of the Gila staff

Although most of the abuse on social media was directed to Killips, Engleman said he and his staff also received a fair share.

“The world changes when you get a message from somebody saying, ‘We hope you get shot in the face,’” he said to The Telegraph. “I’m no hero here. There are lots of other people distressed and making threats to quit.”

Engleman said he was frustrated with the lack of involvement by the UCI. He also asked someone at his own federation, USA Cycling, to comment on the race. But they did not want to, because, according to him, “it was so sketchy to talk about.”

“They have fallen down on the job. I had somebody from one federation tell me, ‘Let it blow over for a week and then worry about it at the next race,'” he said.

UCI changes tune

After Killips’s win, the UCI initially defended the result. “The UCI acknowledges that transgender athletes may wish to compete in accordance with their gender identity,” a spokesperson for the the international cycling body said in a statement that was sent to CNN.

“The UCI rules are based on the latest scientific knowledge and have been applied in a consistent manner,” the statement read. However, the UCI also said that it will continue to follow the evolution of scientific findings.”

A few days later, the international governing body made a U-turn. On May 5, the UCI posted a statement that it would reopen the policy currently in place fo transgender racers.

“The UCI’s objective remains the same: to take into consideration, in the context of the evolution of our society, the desire of transgender athletes to practice cycling,” the statement read. “The UCI also hears the voices of female athletes and their concerns about an equal playing field for competitors, and will take into account all elements, including the evolution of scientific knowledge.”

The day earlier, British Cycling was said to be planning to ban transgender cyclists from elite women’s races at the end of May.

Discussion is complicated

Engleman added that he felt the issue was becoming tricky to navigate. “It’s interesting how even people who are friends will pretend like this isn’t an issue,” he said. “Everyone’s too scared to touch it. But if we’re talking about change, we have to speak. There are some of us who need to make a stand.”

After Gila, Killips posted on Instagram, offering gratitude to the people that defended her win. “After a week of nonsense on the Internet I’m especially thankful to everyone in the peloton and sport who continue to affirm that Twitter is not real life.”

The UCI is set to discuss the policy in August in Glasgow at its annual summit at the world championships.

Following the publication of the article, Engleman said there were a few mistakes in a post on Facebook. “There are a number of totally incorrect facts in this interview, first being I am not the Tour of the Gila Race Director but the Competition Director (I coordinate invitations and logistics with all men’s and women’s UCI teams) and that except for 2003 – 2004 all my work in helping find, support and develop talented women’s athletes was done outside of USAC. I had also wished that this interview to be kinder and more with the plea that ALL voices be heard and listened to. That said, I do hold UCI accountable for the lack of support for all sides and I believe those of us willing to risk it, should speak out for women’s sports,” he posted.