Originally Posted by FBinNY

It's simply a question of having good hydraulics.

One is to slalom up, which lengthens the climb, thereby making it shallower.

Another is to push back on the saddle, which is like raising it slightly, and to use your ankles to increase the length of the power arc. Since you only produce effective power for 2 arcs per rotation, lengthening the arc means that less force is needed at the peak to produce the same amount of power output.

Lastly, drop your ankles at the top of the stroke, then recover them using your calves as you pass the horizontal. This opens the leg somewhat at the top of the stroke improving the leverage through the knees. It also angles your foot to better power through a longer arc, pushing forward and down to start, and hback and down to finish.