Originally Posted by pacificcyclist

In order to ride fast, you need to train riding fast. Why? Because, you NEED to train your body to burn fat and carbohydrates efficiently. Touring only trains you to burn more of the fat less carbohydrates efficiently, whereas racers or fast riders train in conjunction with riding long and slow during the weekend with high intensity brick work and intervals to improve their body fuel burning efficiency (fat + carbohydrates) as well as improve their ability to process lactic acid as the by product of the high intensity workout. Something you get less or none off when you are touring at a lower heart rate. This type of training will help realize one thing. Like a rising tide raises all ships, training to ride faster improves all aspect of your riding speeds whether you tour, riding rando or even racing. That is something touring itself can not do.

In the end, touring will make you a better endurance rider compared to a typical weekend warrior of the same ability and less likely to bonk soon, which means you'll likely to maintain a consistent slightly faster overall average speed. But if you are to race against a seasoned CAT rider on a 40 to 60 miles stretch road avg 25mph with no pace line, you will be more tired or bonk soon and more sore than him or her.