Nicola Cranmer, general manager of the professional women's cycling team Virginia's Blue Ridge TWENTY28, has voiced concerns regarding the participation of a biological male transgender athlete in a recent women's competition. The athlete, Amanda Tait, competed in the Philadelphia Cycling Classic, a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) sanctioned event, where she did not finish.
Cranmer emphasized the importance of "protecting the integrity and fairness" of the women's category, highlighting over 20 years of her career dedicated to creating opportunities for female athletes. "I believe eligibility should be determined by clear, consistent rules established by our sport’s governing bodies, particularly the UCI, and that those rules should be applied equally and transparently to every athlete," Cranmer stated.
She questioned whether Tait's participation was consistent with current UCI policy and how eligibility requirements were interpreted and applied. "Respecting individuals starts with respecting the female category. Every athlete deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and women deserve a protected competitive category in which they can race fairly, safely and with confidence," Cranmer added.
A race official present at the event confirmed that all riders were required to hold international racing licenses, which were cross-checked against UCI records. The official noted that Tait's license appeared valid and that licensing information provided through USA Cycling did not identify Tait as male or otherwise indicate ineligibility. Race officials were instructed that eligibility determinations were the responsibility of USA Cycling, not individual officials.
Concerns were raised by community members who recognized Tait on the broadcast during the race. Officials identified Tait in the peloton, but the athlete was subsequently dropped from the field under the race's standard time-cut procedures. Event staff and teams were reportedly unaware of any eligibility issue until after the race.
Tait has reportedly competed in over 60 women's events since entering the category and previously placed fourth at the USA Cycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships in June, pushing Olympic gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen out of the top five. Tait had transitioned to pro-level competition from USA Cycling’s women’s development category.
USA Cycling implemented a new competition policy in September 2025, defining "female" as "a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell." However, critics argue that the policy's reliance on self-certification and original birth certificates, with sex markers potentially amendable in some states, creates loopholes.
USA Cycling retains sole authority to challenge a rider's category status, a system that critics say leaves female competitors, team staff, and race marshals without an independent mechanism to contest eligibility on race day. The UCI and USA Cycling did not respond to requests for comment regarding their enforcement process.
This situation echoes the 2023 controversy surrounding cyclist Austin Killips, whose victories in women's races also raised questions about fairness in the sport.