The UCI has followed the lead of other sports and banned transgender women from competing in women's category races at international competitions.

Since women are not allowed to compete in the elite men's field at international competitions, this ban effectively excludes all transgender women licensed as women from competing at all UCI sanctioned events.

The organizers of the World Championships in Glasgow pointed out the discrepancy between British Cycling's policy on transgender participation and the UCI's policy at the May board meeting. [The President wrote a letter to the UCI President on behalf of the Board of Directors expressing concern about the lack of consistency regarding transgender and non-binary participation and its potential impact on the Championships. This letter will be copied to the British Cycling Chair.

Cycling News requested comment from the organizers of the Glasgow World Championships, but did not receive a response.

The UCI ban began on July 17, and the UCI claims that it is "necessary to take this action to protect the women's class and ensure equal opportunities." However, the UCI also acknowledges that the rules may change in the future as scientific knowledge develops.

The UCI has specified that "female transgender athletes who have transitioned after (male) puberty are prohibited from participating in the various disciplines in the women's events of the UCI international calendar (in all categories)."

For international masters events such as the Gran Fondo, Gravel, and Master World Championships, the UCI announced that the men's category would be renamed men's/open, allowing athletes who do not meet the entry requirements for women's events to participate without restriction.

The UCI stated that the Management Committee took note of the state of scientific knowledge and confirmed that at least two years of gender-positive hormone therapy with a target plasma testosterone concentration of 2.5 nmol/L is sufficient to completely eliminate the benefits of testosterone in male puberty The study found that it was not.

In an exclusive interview with Cycling News in May 2023, David LaPartient said, "Can we guarantee fair competition today?" I can't answer "no," but I can't answer "yes.

In its statement on the ban, the UCI said, "Given the current state of scientific knowledge, it is also impossible to rule out the possibility that biomechanical factors such as the shape and placement of limb bones may constitute a permanent advantage for female transgender athletes."

"The UCI would like to reaffirm that cycling is open to all, including transgender people, as a competitive sport, as a leisure activity, or as a means of transportation.

"I would also like to reaffirm that the UCI fully respects and supports the right of individuals to choose a gender that corresponds to their gender identity, whatever their assigned sex at birth.

"However, the UCI is above all obliged to guarantee equal opportunities for all competitors in cycling: as a precautionary measure, since the current state of scientific knowledge does not guarantee equal opportunities between female athletes who are transgender and female participants who are cisgender It was this request that led the UCI to conclude that it was not possible to allow the former to race in the women's category, as the UCI had concluded that "the UCI has no obligation to allow the former to race in the women's category.

The UCI decided to change the rules at an extraordinary UCI Administrative Committee meeting on July 5, following a seminar on the participation of transgender athletes held on June 21.

The UCI also cited a document written by Medical Director Xavier Bigard. Available here: current findings on the effects of gender confirmatory treatment on performance markers in transgender female cyclists", updated May 2023.