An athlete with a lower VO2 max (e.g., 55-60 ml/kg/min) can outperform an athlete with a higher VO2 max (e.g., 70 ml/kg/min) due to greater efficiency.

“i remember there was a guy that i used to ride with and this was not that long ago maybe five or six years ago when i was still you know somewhat competitive at least with myself actually it's funny my number was just like yours except i was heavier so i was about 5.1 to 5.2 liters but i weighed more so that worked out to about 70 mils per mig per gig was my vo2 max his was 55 to 60 but there was never a day that i could ride faster than him not one there's simply and i always felt like although we did the test so many times i kept feeling like the machine must have been broken on him like i knew my 70 was about right because i'd been tested so much and that was lower than it had been when i was younger so it seemed appropriate but i was always convinced that that there's no way he's only 55. the reality is he may well have been and he may have simply been a far more efficient athlete”