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Transgender cyclist Rachel McKinnon has accused rival Dawn Orwick of "poor sportsmanship" after winning her second world title.

McKinnon, 37, won gold in the 35-39 age category spint at the Masters Track World Championships in Manchester on Sunday, beating Orwick into second place.

On the winners' podium, Orwick opted to hold her left arm behind her back rather than around winner McKinnon, prompting an angry response from the champion.

McKinnon wrote on social media: "Third place, Kristen, wore my ''sport is a human right'' sticker as a sign of solidarity.

"Second place kept her distance and put her hand behind her back as her own sign.

"Signifying something like poor sportsmanship."

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Orwich has been tight-lipped after the incident and has not spoken out about McKinnon or the involvement of transgender athletes competing in women's sport.

Other competitors have spoken out about the issue and criticised McKinnon, claiming she has an unfair physical advantage over opponents who were born female as a result of her 6ft frame giving her more muscle mass.

She started her sports career after transitioning in 2012 and has risen quickly through the ranks.

After winning her first world record last year, third-place finisher Jennifer Wagner branded losing to her "unfair", causing McKinnon to respond be pointing out she had only won two of their 13 encounters on the track.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The cyclist who finished third this year, however, backed McKinnon's win.

Kirtsen Herup Sovang told the MailOnline: "Rachel McKinnon was the strongest woman in the competition, she won fair and square.

"I strongly support women’s rights and equality in all aspects - that is every woman no exceptions.

"I know she wasn’t born a woman, but she is a woman now and she fulfils the demands for testosterone levels set to compete."

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Leading British cyclist Victoria Hood previously criticised McKinnon, stating: "The science is there. The science is clear – it tells us that trans women have an advantage.

"It is a human right to participate in sport. I don't think it's a human right to identify into whichever category you choose."

In response, McKinnon said: "We are either full and equal women, or not. We are."

She also branded tennis great Martina Navratilova "transphobic" after she said allowing transgender women to compete against people born as women was "insane" and "cheating" and she accused runner Paula Radcliffe of spreading "irrational fear" over voicing similar concerns.