I'm a little confused about the Merckx division for an uphill TT. Unless it is barely uphill (3-4% average or less), most people given the choice are not going to ride a TT bike anyway, so objectively there is no reason to have this division. I am assuming Merckx division means no TT bars and no deep wheels, is this race more restrictive, like must ride a lugged steel bike?

So with respect to tips for an uphill TT, my only points about the bike would be to eliminate weight (the steeper the hill the more this matters). Remove bottle cages, bags, one of the brakes (may not be allowed for a USAC race), etc.

Other than than that, uphill TT is the same as any other TT, pacing your effort is the key. I won a state uphill TT race in the last K, I paced myself by power very carefully early in the race and was over 1:00 behind after 2K and made a lot of that up in the final (and steepest K) when the second place finisher (who also had a power meter he apparently did not understand how to use) really blew up.

Holding position on the bike (aero) is of little to no importance, however in general you are always more efficient when climbing from a seated position, so make sure you daughter understands that. I would usually only come out of the saddle sparingly, just for a comfort break.

I've only done one hill climb tt and it was awful, I was seriously not prepared. One thing I did that was a mistake in my opinion was changing the cassette from an 11-25 to a 12-30. The problem is that it was nothing but a climb and in the lower ranges it meant that there were wider jumps so finding the correct gear for my cadence wasn't always possible. If I were to do it again I'd actually try out an 12-26 but drop the crank from a 53/39 to a 48/34. The low gear ratios are nearly the same 1.30 39/30 vs. 1.31 34/26 but I don't think I ever got to even use the 11 or the 53 where there were areas where I would have been able to use the 48t. Other than that, just drop weight, though she will still need/want at least one small bottle.

Wow, talk about jumping into the deep end.
In all my years of racing, the only time I actually barfed was at the end of an uphill TT.....

Just tell her not to start too hard. Spend the first 2-3 minutes letting perceived exertion ramp up, then get into a rhythm and go hard. Most time trials are ruined by starting too hard. Also pre-ride or at least pre-drive the course if possible, familiarity makes it easier to focus on the more important stuff.

These are small things, but they'll make the whole event more fun.

I appreciate the foregoing suggestions and observations. Thank you for your time.

I assume you are doing the SoMo TT? I don't understand the Merckx category. It's an uphill TT so most people will be riding "Merckx" style anyway (no aero equipment).

There is nothing special about that category. Uphill TT's in general are very difficult and most people have pacing problems. I can't imagine SoMo is a 100% constant gradient (I live in Tucson, haven't ridden up there) so maintaining even power/effort will be important. It's only a 25-35min effort (give or take) so it can't be done "all out." I did an uphill TT up Kitt Peak two summers ago and tried to keep my HR at a certain "max" level in stages. So, for a 12mi constant gradient climb I tried to not let it go above 160-165 for first 2 or 3 miles, then below 170 for next 6-8 miles, then no limit for last 1-3 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/683960393

You can see what I mean in the HR graph

Yes, that's the one she's doing. I thought that the Merckx category was odd, but I don't have any experience with uphill TTs.

We anticipate that an uphill TT will be brutal, but she is well-suited for both climbing and sustained effort. During Tour de Tucson, she passed many, many riders during climbs and never seemed the worse for wear. As long as she doesn't start off too fast and manages to pace well, I'm hoping she'll be fine.