Originally Posted by
echappist
It was more of a stretch to get into my drops
That's what I meant by optimizing. If you want to race primarily in the drops, your bike should fit best in the drops. You shouldn't have to stretch to get there.
There's no cardinal rule that one should race in the drops. Lots of guys, lots of pros race primarily on the hoods. Do what is best for you. I prefer the drops, but I can get very low and make a lot of power on the hoods with my arms flat on the bar tops (ergo bars). So much of this depends on your bike's geometry, bar and stem type, and your flexibility.