Required... maybe not, but I was doing 130 rpm already and I was pretty much at my limit since I had just been gapped at the top of the climb. Maybe I would have been able to catch back on without (spinning a lower gear even faster) it but at the time I certainly felt that if I didn't have it that would have been it right there. That allowed me to make the front part of the split in the field whereas many people right behind me did not. Unfortunately I got popped on the climb on the next lap and suffered to the finish mostly by myself. I was already in an aero tuck trying to catch up but was not gaining on the field, pedaling allowed me to bump my speed up fast enough to make it and 130rpm is not exactly mashing. I hit 52 on that descent, and for every other lap I don't think I went over 45.
Fair enough! Being 175lbs and a fairly good climber, I can usually use my weight to my advantage when I'm detached, and catch back on without much pedaling required.