I've raced in Tennessee, the lower Southeast (minus Florida) and the Northeast. Tennessee is easier to get results in, but probably only because field sizes are smaller. Expand the circle to Georgia and Alabama and it starts looking more like NE racing in terms of field size and depth. What varies more noticeably between places I've raced is average pack-riding proficiency. It's lower in TN and AL, higher in NE and GA. Again, I think a function of typical field sizes. It's all still bike racing. I imagine that the west coast is a lot like the east coast. Now, Colorado on the other hand... everyone knows a Colorado Cat 3 is a Cat 1 everywhere else .

I don't really see the latest data as much of an East/West beef. No one was trying to brag on the power numbers. It's just a fact of the matter that putting down that level of wattage was necessary to keep up and clearly a lot of guys were able to do it. The lowest I've seen quoted for the climbs at the beginning of Hilltowns by someone who went over in the front group was 5.4w/kg, so there's margin for error based on how the climbs were ridden or power meter calibration or bike weight or what have you. I know TKP and I both probably gave ourselves more work than strictly necessary. If we were hitting those climbs after an hour of racing instead of 8 minutes, probably no one would have much to say about it because the power would've been relatively unimpressive.