Originally Posted by
AlgarveCycling
Same people! I'm one of the smallest guys in my area so I generally have to compete with larger chaps. Par for the course for me! No choice, being only 5ft 6 and 141lbs.
Nearly everyone is taller, heavier than me. For a lot, I can't match their climbing prowess albeit, sure, they are mostly a lot younger too since I'm 53. Yet, I drop most of them on the flat when I attack and they don't get back - sometimes straight off my wheel, no need to sprint. Then there are monsters who can both drop me on the climbs and the flats. In all cases though, I have the faster sprint...it's possible I'm the fastest sprinter in the South of the country for my age and even overall. Bizarrely.
You likely have better quality training or simply have superior endurance than the riders on your group even if fitness is the same.
The flats can sometimes be more challenging than climbs if you're trying to hold high speed trying not to get dropped.
Or it could be something as mundane as bike fit / riding posture, yours might be favoring the flats over climbs. Still quite unusual regardless of the possible causes.