Love Carbon and its uphill benefits
I have a carbon bike this year and love it. It is the only thing that got me thru the tour of colorado without changing my gearing (two chain rings on the front)!
My girlfriend also did the tour and she bought a madone like you are talking about. She loves it. She immediately saw the benefit on the uphill;; and I did too, when we went up Snowbowl road where I was hanging onto her uphill with her old bike,she just rode away from me withthe new bike (first time up)!