It s a hard thing to quantify, the ability to be one of the best cyclists in the world. Generally, the best in the world reach their peak from 27 to 33 years of age, built on years of riding bulk kilometres, the experience of a thousand race days and the muscle memory of how to battle through the pain and continue the struggle to the finish line.
Those intervening years aren t always linear in their progression, if you looked at Amanda Spratt s early career there were only a few indications that she would become one of the world s best from 2017 onwards. Annemiek van Vleuten had always been a good professional, but not the world-beater who dominates entire WorldTour fields when she lines up in form.