Female Cyclists Refuse To Join Male Competitor On The Podium

Two women who placed second and third in a women’s cycling race refused to stand on the podium next to the man who won first place, making this the latest instance of women pushing back against so-called transgender individuals encroaching on their sports.

A photo of the man standing alone on the podium has gone viral, with three-time Olympic cyclist Inga Thompson celebrating the “silent protest.”

On Sunday, 46-year-old Wesley Mumford — a 14-year sheriff’s deputy who began undergoing transgender medical treatments in 2017 and now goes by the name Lesley Mumford — took first place in the 40-49 age bracket of the women’s Desert Gravel Co2Ut. The competition was a 100-mile gravel race along Colorado’s desert mountains near the border of Utah.

Despite the common left-wing talking point that males have no competitive advantage over females in sports, Mumford won the race easily — with second-place cyclist Lindsey Kriete crossing the finish line a staggering 17 minutes after her male competitor and third-place cyclist Michelle Van Sickle losing to Mumford by more than a half hour.

The male cyclist appeared unbothered that he was standing on the podium alone, sharing the picture of himself standing atop the podium with his arms raised in celebration and claiming he didn’t understand why he was alone.

“I have no idea why so many people bailed before the podiums, but they did. I swear I wasn’t the only one in my age group,” Mumford wrote in part.

Meanwhile, critics blasted the male cyclist. Media personality Megyn Kelly, formerly of Fox News, called Mumford out in an episode of her podcast — joking that he was a man “until two minutes ago.”

“He suddenly decides he’s a woman and goes and steals all their medals. No wonder [female athletes] are quitting,” she added.

Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer who also lost to a man in her sport and has since become an advocate for protecting women’s sports, also called Mumford out in a tweet.

“Enough is enough! Empty podium except for the male who naturally finished atop all the women in the women’s category. Despite there being a non-binary/trans category he easily could have competed in. Keep it up girls!” she wrote.

This is not the first time that a man won a women’s cycling competition, though it appears to be the first time that the women refused to stand alongside him. Earlier this month, a photo went viral showing male cyclist Tara Seplavy smiling atop the first place spot on the podium alongside two women, one of whom at least appeared to be irritated over the outcome.

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