Originally Posted by
cruisintx
and I'm not arguing that 300W = 300W no matter what. But what math and science can't measure is the human (mental) factors involved. Nor can they account for a training routine that encompasses about 90% hill training. All I'm saying is that take two riders with near equal abilities at the beginning of the season, let one train on hills and the other on flat ground for the same number of miles. Both instructed to give it their all on every ride. Then three or four months later put them on a flat course giving their all and see what happens.
Indeterminate, because there are so many variables besides the hills in this situation. If you managed to control for all other variables, and had identical riders doing identical training plans, identical rest, identical nutrition, identical sleep, identical stretching etc. then the result would be that both riders would perform the same on the flat course.
Physiology doesn't care about whether you're riding on a hill or not, intensity, time at intensity, and rest are what matter.
Edit: If you have someone training on hills and someone training on flat ground for the same number of miles the person training on hills is going to train longer. Who would be faster is still indeterminate, the person training less might have better genetics, etc. etc.