Why Are Top American Marathoners So Old Compared To Top Tour de France Riders?

Great question and not just American marathoners I’d say most top marathoners are all 30+ wasn’t like the top 10 at Tokyo all 30+? interested in hearing other peoples theories

I think because cycling is much more extreme in that is requires 25-35 hr training weeks compared to running which is like 10-15 hrs. Maybe it’s just too much for the older folks to stick with it

Athletics is stuck in dogmatic thinking that requires all young athletes to start as long sprinters or middle-distance runners first, find their limits in those events, and only then move up to longer stuff as they get older and stop improving at shorter events. The marathon is a farewell tour/final paychecks proposition in America and Europe. This is beginning to change as African and Asian athletes are going straight to 5/10K, road distances, and marathons at age 18-20. Western nations are still honoring the old ways - both training and event progression. Hopefully, someone like Jakob Ingebrigtsen will snap us to our senses by medaling at 10K or winning a marathon major before he turns 24. The marathon now takes speed to win and the sport is rapidly becoming a young athlete's (18-25) game.