I went from 23% BF and totally out of shape at age 40 to <7% BF, 9000 miles and a million feet of climbing a year at 53.
In that time I have finished 9 Death Rides, 4 Everest Challenge stage races and more races and centuries than I can count.

Even when I was spending a lot of time in the gym I did not have a problem with building mass, so I only had fat to lose. Now I look a lot like the guy in the second pic only skinnier, no tats and less hair.