Is Climbing Focus Beneficial or Detriment to Triathlon Specific Bike Racing
Hello Folks -
Background: My mind and wallet is already "all-in" on my extra-curricular activities over the next 7 months, so please no advice leaning towards "Do not do this". 
My A Race is IMAZ in November 2011. However, between now and mid-July my cycling will be primarily focused on climbing, as in mega-climbing KOM century series [3 100 mile + rides spread over months Apr - May where each ride is 10K + acsending] and the Calif Death Ride in early July [129miles, 15K+ ascending]. As you can imagine, I will be spending a lot of time in the saddle grinding up mountain passes as preparation for these events. My tentative plan is to drop onto the tri bike in July, after the Death Ride, and begin focus towards IMAZ.
In my mind, this seems great. Get super stupid strong over next 7 months climbing hills, hills, and more hills; and then take that muscular strength onto the tri bike to a Summer of relativelyf lat course training and I should be able to fly along very fast.
Here's where I have some doubt setting in. A handful of people tell me I will not be able to transition too well from road bike climbing focus to tri bike flat course speed 
, and this is worrying me about whether I am jeopordizing my ambitious goals for IMAZ.
Sooooo, with that background; will my focus on road bike climbing be beneficial to my IMAZ race, no impact, or detrimental to what otherwise could have been IMAZ (all other things equal) ?? Thx
Comments
N=1 here, but... two years running 08 & 09, I spent Jan-June training for then racing IM CDA, which is kinda hilly, and my local training routes are similar, Then, I raced IM AZ, using flatter traiing routes in the summer/fall. No difference in the quality of my race performance. Cycling is cycling. See Rich's comments on cold weather vs warm weather trainers and results in this current thread.
Dave,
Climb, climb, climb. It's generally easier to hold higher watts when climbing, for long, than on flat ground. A couple weeks ago when I climbed to up Hwy 39 to Crystal Lake with Sawiris and a few others, I rode ~2:20 at .93 IF. No way I could do that on flat ground. Work works and you can do more work, at a lower mental cost, when climbing. Also, climbing can help you focus on body composition because you really feel and see the difference when you lose weight.
Agree with others. Climbing focus will really build the watts. With the TT focus you will be putting in for IM AZ, you'll be fine.
This discussion brought out a question that I've had. Like Coach Rich said I find that it is much easier for me to push large watts when I am climbing rather than in the aero position. I relate that to the fact that when I am not in the aero bars, then I open up my hip angle and can generate more power. So should you really have 2 FTP numbers-one for flats and one for mountains? Or is it the fact that my body is more used to climbing and getting efficient at long climbs versus the aero flat land position?
Jim, I think you want to test to the FTP you'll be riding at. IOW, my FTP right now is from sitting up, as outside of the 12 weeks a year I train for Ironman, I am a roadie. When I hit those 12 weeks though, I dial in my aerobars and test again...using that number. I don't jones about the difference, I just ride it!