[lamename]

Isn't it a given that classification would "outperform" regression, assuming n_classes < n_possible_continuous_labels? Turning a regression problem into a classification problem bins the data, offers more examples per label, simplifying the problem, with a tradeoff in what granularity you can predict.

(It depends on what you mean by "outperform" since metrics for classification and regression aren't always comparable, but I think I'm following the meaning of your comment overall)