This feature initially appeared in the 1 May edition of Cycling Weekly magazine. You can set up your subscription now to ensure you don't miss an issue.
"It was like one of those mirages that you see in old cowboy films," says Keith Lambert, former U23 head coach at British Cycling. Speaking to me from his North Yorkshire home, he is recalling the moment, circa 2009, when he first laid eyes on the Yates twins in a bike race. As a seasoned coach, Lambert had seen plenty of fledgling talents and usually knew within a few pedal strokes who was going to make it. On the Friday evening in question, he had driven to Colne, Lancashire, to watch a local youth criterium – and initially worried he was seeing double.
