How important is hill or mountain training on the bike for a flat course on a sprint tri. does that hill power yield to a faster split on flats? I think it does but want to know some other answers.
Yes
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A wise man once said, “Hills are speedwork in disguise”.
I think that holds true for both the bike and the run. The average athlete would probably greatly improve by finding some hills to go up and down.
Scientifically watts are watts, so hills or flats don’t make a difference as long as you are pushing the same power. That said, it’s hard to replicate the mental/psychological impact of hills.