Training & Nutrition - muscle weight loss?

After a somewhat dismal performance season so far this year, I realize that I really need to lose weight. I am still carrying about 10 lbs of extra fat on me since I now have an office job but that is easy to lose..my problem is that I always lifted weights until a couple of years ago, and so still carry a fair amount of upper body muscle, even after not having lifted a weight in two years at least. When really lean I am 5 foot 8 1/2 and weight about 165.
I am in really good shape right now otherwise, and until I hit a climb, always ride really strong. I don't want to risk losing leg muscle or performance, anything like that?
Is there a way or am I just out of luck?

I don't want to risk losing leg muscle or performance, anything like that? Is there a way or am I just out of luck? Yeah, exercise the muscles you want to grow and ignore the rest.

You may not be genetically gifted for a favorable power to weight ratio - but whatever your "problems" with climbing - they are not the result of "old upper body muscle."

If you "really" interested - you could have a professional examine you and determine your body mass index, and give you an appraisal regarding what your true bicycle-racing target weight could be.

Whether that is light enough to be a good climber - is the genetics end of it.

Kind of the answer I expected. I know my BMI, about 14% so I could stand to lose a precentage point or two, but I am inclined to think that I might just not have the genetics for it.
Always have been thickly built, plus, I live at the foot of a 1600 foot climb over 2.5 miles and climb it at least 5 times a week and seem to have reached a plateau.

14% body fat is still kind of high.

Don't say you "don't have the genetics". Not at this level. Desire and will make more of a difference.

Try riding some different climbs. Riding the same one the same way over and over is like going to the gym and only doing curls. You need to change things up to keep progreessing.

If you keep exercising on the bike regularly, when you lose weight, you will not lose leg muscle. Well, if you decide to starve yourself to death, you will. But otherwise, your body should go after other tissues first.

Did the OP have a question? I think I missed it.