Drag is proportional to speed squared...
Yep. No argument there.
My tests would have been roughly the same as tuck, drops and up 2cm. Alex Whetmore, who did those tests you quoted, agreed with everything I found in my tests.
I suppose it's like trying to reduce bike weight: There isn't one big thing that is going to make a massive difference by itself - you basically have to do everything, and a lot of small things amount to something useful. So going to a more aero position would make you a small amount faster, but don't expect a miracle. In fact if you are not comfortable, you'll end up going slower over an hour.
I still think a clean lubed chain, high quality jockey wheel, a Velocity Aeroheat wheelset and narrow tyres are the first steps. Sawing off an inch off each end of the flat bars will be good, and fitting some small light bar-ends will give you what aero bars would - a lower position, elbows closer to the body.
I guess we have to consider what "massive" means. My first reaction is that 5% less wind resistance would be a lot over a long ride. Given this is 14R, we can be fairly confident that he is riding on stelvios or similar!
