History was made as a trans woman became the top female finisher in a large road bicycling race.

Jillian Bearden, 36, rode for the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance in the El Tour De Tucson in Arizona.

She won the women’s 106-mile race in 4:36:07.

‘It’s absolutely huge,’ Bearden said of her achievement.

‘We’re at a moment of time — especially now — where not only do we have to come out but we have to be positive.

‘We have to come together in solidarity and move this country in a direction that is accepting of all.’

Bearden, who wished to promote gender inclusion in cycling, is receiving transphobic comments online for racing in the women’s competition.

‘Last January, the IOC released a document that said so much that you can compete if you fall under these criterias,’ Bearden told the Arizona Daily Star.

‘With that being said, more policies are coming out, so there’s more work to be done to have acceptance worldwide and not just nationally.’

She recently founded the Transnational Women’s Cycling Team, the world’s first transgender cycling group, which will debut in 2017.

Source: www.gaystarnews.com