Nov 2025
Dear Cycling UK
I was disappointed to hear you will be excluding trans women from your 100 women in cycling award. An award to recognise inspiring women who promote and advance cycling for the community.
Your exclusion of trans women erodes community and undermines the very foundations of Cycling UK:
Cycling UK’s mission is to enable and inspire people from all backgrounds and abilities to experience cycling’s joys and benefits.
Cycling UK Website
You state:
“We have received legal advice which says that for our awards to continue to comply with the law we have to limit who can be nominated to biological women only.”
Did you consult the cycling community after receiving that advice? Did you ask any trans people what their thoughts were? How about a conversation centred around how this could be navigated without openly excluding parts of society?
Maybe you could have suspended the awards in light of your legal advice until the awards could continue in line with your mission:
“We speak up for all who cycle to make sure it’s a safe and easy choice for everyone to travel.”
Cycling UKs Five year strategy 2024-2029
I gratefully received this award last year, nominated by the wonderful Bicycle Adventure Club community. I am Trans non-binary. I have lived half a century of not quite belonging and exclusionary experiences from society. My beloved cycling and the community it curates has been a light and a lifeline.
Many of my peers have understandably rejected your award this year. I, and the Bicycle Adventure Club do not condone your exclusion of trans women, and we urge you to reconsider, align with your values and find another way to support the whole cycling community instead of dividing it.
After consulting with my cycling community, I understand that I have a right and a responsibility to be visible to show new and future trans cyclists that they are represented, are safe and welcomed. We can only do that working together and supporting each other. We are all on the same side with the same goals, aspirations and love of cycling.
The Bicycle Adventure Club has, and always will welcome everyone that cycles. Including Trans women. We cannot and will not minimise people’s lived experiences.
Laws are not always right, nor progressive. Cycling UK please reconsider your position and do better.
Kind regards
Sarah Round
Bicycle Adventure Club
Bicycle Adventure Club 
Well said, with good supporting arguments from their own ethos and mission statement.
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I strongly agree with Sarah. The cycling community has always embraced individuals of all genders and identities. In fact, I have never been excluded from a cycling event due to gender, gender preference or identity.
It is deeply disappointing to see Cycling UK aligning with Trump’s America, where transgender and people of colour are excluded, demeaned and persecuted. This alignment sends a message to the world that only those who conform to traditional gender norms are permitted to participate.
The award was traditionally given for a woman’s contributions to cycling, based on their spirit, mind and determination. It was not awarded based on biological sex. Furthermore, it is difficult to ascertain a person’s biology without intimate knowledge. I was under the impression that the UK was progressive and tolerant. This ruling has caused significant disappointment among many, including myself.
Regards,
Karen Stead
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