Our usual 40-60 mile rides have 2000 feet or so, but it's all annoying rollers and short humps that just break up rhythm more than anything.

Rides with short, steep climbs are actually easier for me...the type of climbs that I'm riding above threshold for 5-20 minutes. I'm the type of rider with a good "VO2max" type power, with repeatability. The rides with big, long climbs are the ones that wear me down. There are several climbs that I ride semi-regularly, 3000-3500' of gain and take roughly an hour to climb. Doing 2 of those climbs in one ride feels considerably more difficult, to me, than doing a ride with 6000' of punchy climbing.

Interesting. Do you think your lactate threshold is relatively low compared to VO2max?

I'm kind of the opposite. Short, punchy climbs wear me out quickly (my legs, specifically), but I can tempo climb for several hours before fatigue sets in. At least I could in years past.

I've never actually done a VO2 max test, so I can't say for sure. However, I'm better at those higher intensity/above threshold efforts.

My 1 through 5 minute power numbers have always been very good compared to my FTP(at least since I've been using a power meter.) Oddly enough, I wouldn't call myself a sprinter either...as my 10 second power numbers are good, but not the "superlative" amount that my 1-5 are. I did go a long way in improving my endurance this year, FTP made big gains, as well as everything but my pure sprint power. I even set a PR for 1 minute power this year.