The trans woman UCI Masters Track World Championship cycling gold medalist is defending her win against criticism that it's unfair for her to have competed against cisgender females.

Rachel McKinnon, 36, an assistant professor of philosophy at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, scooped up the top prize during the October 14 race, besting cis females Carolien van Herrikhuyzen and Jen Wagner-Assali, who took silver and bronze, respectively.

The day after McKinnon's win, Wagner-Assali stirred up controversy when she replied to a tweet about the race with her own tweet suggesting that McKinnon was not deserving of winning the 35-44 age bracket.

Controversy arose after trans woman Rachel McKinnon, 36 (center) won the UCI Masters Track World Championship, besting cis females Carolien van Herrikhuyzen (left) and Jen Wagner-Assali (right), who took silver and bronze, respectively

The next day, Wagner-Assali tweeted that the race results were 'definitely NOT fair,' implying that McKinnon should not have been competing in the women's division

Since Wagner-Assali's tweet, McKinnon (pictured) has taken to Twitter to defend both her win and the right for transgendered people to compete in races with cisgender people

Almost a week after her win, McKinnon tweeted out Saturday the multiple reasons why she now competes in the same category as cis women

'I was the 3rd place rider. It's definitely NOT fair,' Wagner-Assali tweeted October 15.

Since then, McKinnon has taken to Twitter to defend the validity of her win, while being targeted by trolls and other who believe that she has no business competing against women since she was assigned male at birth.

In a tweet Saturday, McKinnon answered the question of 'Why do you race with women?'

'1. I am a woman. 2. Every single piece of identification I have, including birth certificate, says 'F' on it. 3. We are required, by the rules of sport, to compete with the gender on our identification. 4. I am a woman. That's why,' she tweeted.

McKinnon also tweeted that, 'No one is "Born a man." We are all born babies. The language of "born a man" helps contribute to harmful myths and false stereotypes.'

She also tweeted out several factoids about her racing history that she believes helped shore up the fact that she is not at a racing advantage over cis women because she is a trans woman.

McKinnon's lengthy sports history includes being a junior provincial badminton champion, a regional junior golf champion and having won sport climbing competitions

She also tweeted out details about her racing history aimed at shoring up the fact that she is not at a racing advantage over cis women because she is a trans woman

'For the cyclists: at my very best, racing pro women's races around the US, my FTP was 270w at 175lbs. That's 3.39w/kg. That is dead-center average for women! That is 'Cat 3' for women,' McKinnon tweeted.

'I could win because I was a crafty sprinter in FLAT events.'

FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power and is the term used to symbolize the maximum power cyclists can sustain for an hour of riding.

In tweeting out a link to her race results during the 2017 season, she wrote, 'You can also compare my results against people like Jennifer Wagner. Prior to the World Championship sprint event, she beat me in 10 of 12 events. But if I win 3 of 13, it's "unfair"? Hmm. Interesting "logic."'

'I have never won a race, professional or not, as the strongest rider in the field. Usually, I was one of the weakest riders. I'm just a gifted, crafty sprinter. Good tactics beat me every time. In hilly races I was usually nearly last. Bad tactics *let* me win,' McKinnon also tweeted.

The gold medalist's latest tweets followed Friday's tweets in which McKinnon slammed the cycling championship's official statement about the increasingly public controversy about her win.

Texan Jen Wagner-Assali fanned the controversy flames after tweeting that it was unfair she had landed in third place behind McKinnon and said she wanted to change US Cycling rules

Wagner-Assali faced both supports and detractors after she tweeted her thoughts

In the statement, the Union Cycliste Internationale said that it would adapt its own regulations according to the forthcoming competition guidelines established by the International Olympic Committee.

The UCI peppered its statement with the term 'transgender Men-Women,' a phrase that McKinnon took issue with.

'For the cyclists: at my very best, racing pro women's races around the US, my FTP was 270w at 175lbs. That's 3.39w/kg. That is dead-center average for women! That is 'Cat 3' for women,' McKinnon tweeted.

'I could win because I was a crafty sprinter in FLAT events.'

FTP stands for Functional Threshold Power and is the term used to symbolize the maximum power cyclists can sustain for an hour of riding.

In tweeting out a link to her race results during the 2017 season, she wrote, 'You can also compare my results against people like Jennifer Wagner. Prior to the World Championship sprint event, she beat me in 10 of 12 events. But if I win 3 of 13, it's "unfair"? Hmm. Interesting "logic."'

'I have never won a race, professional or not, as the strongest rider in the field. Usually, I was one of the weakest riders. I'm just a gifted, crafty sprinter. Good tactics beat me every time. In hilly races I was usually nearly last. Bad tactics *let* me win,' McKinnon also tweeted.

The gold medalist's latest tweets followed Friday's tweets in which McKinnon slammed the cycling championship's official statement about the increasingly public controversy about her win.

In the statement, the Union Cycliste Internationale said that it would adapt its own regulations according to the forthcoming competition guidelines established by the International Olympic Committee.

The UCI peppered its statement with the term 'transgender Men-Women,' a phrase that McKinnon took issue with.

'Are you hinting that you, along with the @iocmedia, want to make it *easier* for trans women to participate in our human right to sport? Or are you hinting that the backlash against me and others will make it harder for us? Do you stand for trans rights...or not?' she tweeted.

'At best all you did was say that you adhere to the IOC guidelines (which I satisfy). But you don't even say that there is NO question whether I meet the criteria. So why name me if you don't take a stand? This is a bizarre press release. Poorly worded, too,' she wrote.

'Trans women are not "Men-Women." What do you think that even means? To you mean 'male-to-female'? Even that's not great. Also, what purpose does this serve? Supportive? Not?' McKinnon asked.

Before Wagner-Assali's tweet, McKinnon had celebrated her win as the first transgender female world champion

McKinnon took on trolls, stating that second-place finisher Carolien van Herrikhuyzen was her friend. Van Herrikhuyzen herself said that it was an 'honest' race and that Wagner-Assali should not have taken part if she had a problem with the rules

Finally, she tweeted, 'The backlash against my @UCI_cycling world championship victory is unprecedented in its size and the level of vitriol. Trans athletes are worried, but "This is what happens before the breaking point." Have faith. We'll get there #SportIsAHumanRight'

Following the backlash against her original tweet, Texas-based UCI Masters Track World Championship bronze medalist Jen Wagner-Assali issued an apology of sorts for her public comment that garnered lots of attention.

'After having some time to reflect, I realize my twitter comments earlier this week unintentionally fanned the flames on a controversial situation, and that I regret,' she wrote Thursday. 'I made the comments out of a feeling of frustration, but they weren't productive or positive.'

'They were just inflammatory, and that's not who I want to be or am. While I may not agree with the rules, when I pin on a number I agree to race by them. I also respect @rachelvmckinnon 's right to compete within the rules.'

However Wagner-Assali's comments seemed to take an insensitive turn as she reinforced her opinion that McKinnon is not female.

She seemed to suggest having the winner take part in the race was akin to having a man compete and contradicted her harsh stance by then seemingly stating she needed to learn from her earlier reaction which did not go down well with those who support the trans community.

'I'm sure there are men who don't agree with the USA cycling rule that women can enter their races, which I do all the time,' she wrote on the micro-blogging site. 'I appreciate those that have reached out to support me, but please stop directing hateful or derogatory comments toward Rachel or trans people in general.

Days later, Wagner-Assali tweeted out an apology of sorts for her original statement, while simultaneously stating that she wanted the sport rules changed

McKinnon hit back by saying Wagner was only sorry she was caught out in public

'At the end of the day, we are all just people trying to find our way in this world. I'm going to continue educating myself and hope this conversation continues in an open and positive way.'

Wagner-Assali's last tweet was, 'For those of you who think I have 'folded' I have not. There's a group of us working on getting the rules changed but we are going to fight it offline, not in the name-calling angry world of social media. I'm choosing to move on in a positive way.'

McKinnon retweeted this last tweet and added the comment that, 'This is why the apology is not accepted: she still thinks what she said. She merely apologizes for being caught saying it publicly. She wants to ban trans women from competing. They will fail: the IOC openly allowed us in 2003 and revised their policies in 2015. #MoveOn.'

McKinnon compared her struggle as a trans woman in sports to white people thinking it was unfair for black people to participate in the same events

McKinnon, a Canadian athlete, was supported by the woman who came second and took home the silver medal.

Carolien van Herrikhuyzen said it was an 'honest' race and that Wagner should not have taken part if she had a problem.

'No one is a transgender to steal anyone's medal,' van Herrikhuyzen wrote. 'We had an honest race under UCI rules. If you compete you accept the rules, otherwise, don't compete. I can only imagine what she had to go through in her life to be where she is now, how hard it is to fit in.'

Wagner-Assali had initially snapped back, writing: 'Just because it's a CURRENT UCI rule doesn't mean it['s] fair or right. And rules can be changed.'

Cycling isn't the only sport McKinnon loves; she was a junior provincial badminton champion, regional junior golf champion and club champion, won sport climbing competitions and was a professional poker player for six years.

She started competing at a professional level when she was 10 years old.

Writing 'Trans women are women. We must compete as women. We have rights, too,' McKinnon later compared her struggle to civil rights racial struggles.

'White people thought it was UNFAIR for black people to compete in sport. The very same tactics are being used against trans women athletes,' she posted, referring to African-American track and field star and multiple Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens, who competed in the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics during the Nazi Party's rule.