NLTCBMBC
Herne Hill Velodrome, London, SE24 9HE
Herne Hill Velodrome, London, SE24 9HE
In the past we’ve always strived for equality and to be one of the most open and inclusive races out there. Since the very beginning, we’ve offered equal prizes for the men and women’s race. But we recognise that as society evolves, cycling should too and so in 2021 we are changing our format.
Gender identity should never be discriminated against, and we aim to create an inclusive racing environment for all, and welcome all gender expressions to our races.
We realised that binary racing categories are no longer fit for purpose. It shouldn’t be up to racers who do not identify with the traditional categories to face pressure to fit into them or else be excluded or face intrusive questioning, or for a third category to be created which further ‘others’ them in the sport. It’s time for the categories themselves to change and become more inclusive.
Therefore, we say goodbye to gendered race categories. The men’s race and women’s race are no more. Welcome to the new Thundercrit categories, which are based on the principle that the best and most fun competition is a fair and inclusive competition, where the performance level of the competitors in each category is similar to those around them.
We have created two new race categories – Thunder and Lightning – that take the physical performance of cis-men or cis-women as the starting point of each, and invites those of similar ability to race in that category, regardless of gender. It is a radical rethink of what a race could look like, celebrating the differences between riders but offering a level playing field in terms of competition.