Olympic Cyclist and WNBA Star Advocate for Women’s Sports Integrity

Inga Thompson, a former Olympic cyclist, publicly supports female-only categories in sports. Speaking on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’, Thompson acknowledged WNBA star Sophie Cunningham for her courage in advocating for fairness in girls’ sports. She emphasized the ongoing effort to protect Title IX, as sports organizations deal with policies involving biological males in women’s competitions.

Nicola Cranmer, general manager of the Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28, a renowned UCI women’s cycling team, shared her views with OutKick following the participation of a trans athlete in their recent Philadelphia Cycling Classic race. The athlete did not complete the race.

“I have spent over two decades in women’s cycling, creating opportunities for female athletes. It’s crucial to protect the integrity and fairness of the women’s category,” Cranmer said. She insists on the importance of clear, consistent rules by the sport’s governing bodies, particularly the UCI, to ensure fair competition.

The UCI’s specific eligibility rules should be respected for athletes to trust in fair competition. Cranmer questioned if eligibility requirements were correctly applied for the trans athlete’s participation.

According to Cranmer, “Respect begins with recognizing the female category. Every athlete deserves dignity and respect, ensuring women compete fairly, safely, and confidently.” USA Volleyball indicated upcoming changes in sex testing policy under scrutiny from concerned families.

An official statement from race organizers to OutKick addressed the situation. They explained all riders needed appropriate international racing licenses, validated against UCI records. Amanda Tait’s license and entry appeared legitimate under these checks.

The women’s race started early Sunday. Community members quickly noticed Tait on broadcast, questioning Tait’s participation. Tait, identified in the peloton, was dropped from the race under time-cut procedures before any separate eligibility actions could occur.

Local registration faced no apparent errors. Licensing information from USAC marked Tait as eligible for a UCI women’s race, with eligibility determinations resting with USA Cycling.

Amanda Tait has participated in over 60 women’s events since entering this category. In June, she placed fourth at the USA Cycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships, surpassing Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen.

Tait moved quickly from a beginner to pro-level competition, achieving a win at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Cycling Series in August. Chiara Consonni recently secured a photo finish victory at the Philadelphia Cycling Classic.

USA Cycling’s new competition policy, established in September 2025, aimed to address the trans athlete participation issue. However, pro-life advocates criticized it as inadequate in protecting the women’s division.

The policy categorizes ‘female’ based on original sex assignment, using self-certification and birth certificates, potentially allowing loopholes where sex markers are amendable.

The situation brings to mind the 2023 controversy of trans cyclist Austin Killips, whose victories sparked fairness concerns in women’s cycling.

USA Cycling holds sole authority to dispute a rider’s category status. Female competitors lack an independent method for contesting eligibility on race day.

OutKick reached out to USA Cycling’s Bonnie Walker and the UCI for comments on their enforcement processes but did not receive a reply before publication.