Missy Giove isn’t just included in this list as a token female, she’s an absolute legend of the sport and was the original wild child, long before Palmer came along. She possibly became best known for her off bike style and antics, but the fact is that she was (and still is) rad on a bike. She always hit everything full guns blazing, often hitting lines that a load of guys wouldn’t even take on, and yes at times she looked as loose as anything, but when she wanted to she could also turn the style right up. Missy did a huge amount not just for women’s racing, but for racing in general. We need some more Missy like characters in the sport, and there’s a whole pile of guys that would love to be able to ride with even a tiny fraction of Missy’s style.

There will only ever be one Missy…