I think I ended up answering my own question, well drawing my own conclusion in my post. (I do have and train with power).
I agree, power is power, it can't take any more or any less energy to generate. My curiosity was what impact generating the same power in a less efficient position or state had, initially thinking perhaps a marginally higher burn was obtained but, considering the objectivity of a watt itself, was wrong. And that the physiological load on the body must just be higher? equating in greater recovery need.
After all HR is a response to, not a measure of, effort.
More effort for the same output has to manifest itself as some sort of additional charge on the body, and if this is not calorific then what? hence my conclusion of potential additional recovery.More than happy to stand corrected, just hypothesising.
Edit: more contemplation on this evenings ride, instead of being more physiologically taxing with regards to recovery, the activity must just be more glycolytic which would tie in with higher HR zones... total work done/volume remain the same so extra recovery can't be needed, if so it much be psychosomatic.
(For the love of God Roady leave your power figures, RPE and pacing strategies out of this, they are no use here
)For those not 'in the know' the same power produced by two different riders requires equal amounts of energy but the given intensity for each rider may vary largely. Power IS objective.
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