Woman defends transgender athletes who beat her in cycling competition

An Illinois woman is defending the two transgender athletes who defeated her to capture first and second place in a major Illinois women’s cycling competition.

Kristen Chalmers said it was “ridiculous” to suggest that the women’s Single Speed competition of the Illinois State Cyclocross Championship was stolen from her when 25-year-old Tessa Johnson and 30-year-old Evelyn Williamson (both of whom are biological males who identify as transgender women) defeated her, according to a report.

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“It would be ridiculous to say that my life has been ruined by getting third,” Chalmers said. “I had a great race, and it would have been more boring if it had been a smaller field without such strong competitors in it.”

Both Johnson and Williamson have appeared to find great success in women’s cycling, and a photo of them standing next to Chalmers drew heavy criticism.

“Two men take 1st & 2nd at the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships yesterday,” former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines said on X, the social media website once known as Twitter.

“@usacycling has 2 categories for men and none for women Any woman who concedes and doesn’t compete, I will personally pay them the prize money they’re missing out on. Stop participating in the farce,” Gaines wrote.

Criticism like that of Gaines was cast aside by Chalmers and other cyclists in a letter of support for Johnson and Williamson.

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“We refuse to be falsely presented as victims in a manufactured controversy driven to further alienate and marginalize those most vulnerable within our community, in service of rampant and harmful anti-LGBTQ+ legislation,” it read. “We speak for ourselves: inclusion makes our sport and community stronger. Everyone is welcome here. Trans women are women.”

The letter received signatures from dozens of female cyclists, the report noted.