I understand about the power meter or lack thereof. I wanted to give some numbers to give the relationship between the various numbers. Consider that my average speed increases by 40% (8+ mph) when drafting. Consider that I can not only average a higher speed but I can also initiate attacks, chases, bridge to a break, and do a sprint while averaging under 190w.

Let's put it this way - my training rides generally average in the 140-160w range and I average 14-15 mph. At 180w or so I'm averaging in the 18 mph range (187w gave me 18.3 mph on Oct 3, 2013, the fastest solo ride of 2013 for me). For many people those numbers barely register on the effort scale, they'd be a 2 or 3 out of 10.

At the exact same wattages I can average 25 mph in a group (160-170w range), and 187w avg has netted me a second place in a very, very, very tough race for me (which even has a hill in it every lap). I'm pretty active in this race and averaged that 187w. In the final leadout, where my teammate went about 35 mph, I was actually resting, my heart rate dropping 5 bpm while he was going 35 mph. This enabled me to sprint a bit better. A note: the guy that counters on the first lap (I mention he won the Cat 4 race earlier in the day), well he's turned pro, and that race at Bethel was his first win, according to an interview he did. He super strong, he has a massive, massive FTP, but I beat him. I'll probably never beat him again, if I can even enter a race he's in, but that day, with my low FTP, I managed to finish just ahead of him (I pass him in the sprint).

The point is that if you save your strength a bit on the flats and downhills you'll have a bit more to give on the hills. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you can finally stay with them - the work after each hill can be just as brutal as you're already deep in the red. It's incredibly satisfying to be able to stay with the group on rides like that.

Unfortunately your sustainable power, although somewhat "trainable" is generally genetically determined. I couldn't climb or time trial well at every weight, every fitness level. In my adult life (18-now), at my adult height (5'7") I've weighed anywhere from 103 to 215+ lbs.

I could win field sprints shortly after my 215 lbs time (I was in the 200 lbs range), I could win field sprints at 103 lbs just as handily, and in fact I won 2 of the first 3 Senior/Men's races I entered. At the same time I couldn't climb well even at 103 lbs, believe it or not. I was so convinced that I would be a good road racer (based on my low weight) that I spent a lot of time working on my climbing. It was all for naught.

The problem is that my FTP is in a general range ("low" ) and nothing, not even EPO, can help it. My hematocrit is typically 46-49% so I'm not lacking in red blood cells, it's something else. Even if my hematocrit was 35 and I could boost my power 15% or whatever that's still in the low range (225-240w). It's not the 280-320w that many riders have, and it's way below the pro level 380-450+. I'd need to at least double my threshold power to be a pro and that just can't happen. I just don't have an aerobic engine.

This means that I've learned, through decades of painful reinforcement (conditioned response if you will) to avoid races with hills longer than about 400 meters. Time trials also - I got 3rd last in one TT I did, part of a big stage race. I beat one guy because he got hit by a truck and broke his leg. The other guy I beat had a flat tire and rode more than half the time trial on a flat tire, and I didn't beat him by much.