Good info in that article, It makes a good case against those types of workouts. I'm inclined to agree. (I wasn't going to try them anyway since I'm so new, just regular riding is providing plenty of workout)

That's the frustrating thing I've found with physiology! Many times there are just not enough measurable variables to actually study something conclusively. Leading to lots of theories, disagreements, and fads. Like the importance of ones' VO2 max that has since been shown as not so important. Disclaimer: I'm no physiologist, just like reading about it.