Bridges left in limbo by UCI decision

Emily Bridges reports 'targeted abuse' on social media

- Vern Pitt

Trans cyclist Emily Bridges and the whole of the women’s peloton have been left in limbo after the UCI failed to reach a decision on whether Bridges is able to compete in the female category ahead of last weekend’s omnium National Championships.

Bridge’s inclusion at the race had raised concerns among a raft of people connected to the women’s peloton over whether or not she has an advantage from going through puberty as a male despite undergoing hormone therapy.

One source told Cycling Weekly that there had been talk among riders of staging some form of protest at the event.

That never came to pass because, despite apparently meeting the requirement to keep her testosterone levels below the required 5 nmol/l for the required 12 months, it was announced late last Wednesday that she would not be accepted to compete by the UCI.

At the same time, UCI president David Lappartient told the BBC that the rules on testosterone levels for trans riders were “probably not enough”.

The UCI’s own regulations state that eligibility is subject to the decision of an expert panel that should be informed of the intention to compete six weeks before an event.

The UCI did not respond to CW’s repeated requests for clarity on the timing of the panel’s next meeting, the membership of the panel or what factors they were considering.