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There are definitely riders that "perform to the test" (my quote). Just means they are good at taking ftp tests.
I know for me my best ftp results are from virtual mountains on Zwift (Alpe and Epic KOM) It's harder to hold a power in bigger gears riding flat terrain and I don't have mountains anywhere near me. I did replicate my performance at Bear Mtn a couple summer ago so I think climbing indoors and outdoors might as well be the same for me (100% on the smart trainer).
If you look at the ftp modeling in WKO4 it takes into account multiple efforts at different lengths of time. Not only does it spit out a very repeatable ftp, it lets you know the contribution of aerobic vs anaerobic engine to that ftp. Routinely that means that my actual ftp is around 5W lower than Zwift or others estimate.
In the end, ftp is only good for setting up training zones anyway. If someone actually trains with zones and overestimates their ftp it only hurts them. It's a recipe for burning out and training overload. I say let them. Then blow their doors off by training correctly.
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