Originally Posted by
coasting
For me the best way to keep up with lighter better climbers is to forget about climbing with respect to other climbers. It is easier to push harder on the downhill and the flats and the gentle climbs to make up lost ground than to keep up on the hard climbs. What will destroy your chances is not climbing slower but blowing up on a climb so you have to stop and get your breath back. then it is hasta la vista baby. As long as you are still functioning after a climb, you still have a chance.
Not really. Since power does not scale linearly with speed, it is better to push yourself harder on the "slower" sections (i.e. hills) in order to make the most out of your available fitness. Not to mention, if you go up and down the same hill, you will spend more time on the up portion.