Yes the days of pure climbers winning the race with one big attack are long over. You have to be a consistent all rounder now to win a grand tour which is why riders like Porte and Pinot have struggled to make the podium. It's not just luck, you have to be able to descend well also and do a pretty good TT to stay in contact with the best riders. Bike handling and tactical sense is also underrated in time trials and in crosswinds and on descents. As good as Valverde has been, his lack of consistency in the mountains always cost him in grand tours and the high altitude climbs were often too much for him. He has an incredible record of top 10 results but I guess he can't be good at everything all the time.I still think the problem is inconsistency. When he is consistent, he gets the podiums. But maybe this Tour will be different in this regard and he will podium despite being only in the 3rd group in Laruns.
Riders like Lopez and Pinot have the ability to win a grand tour but whether they will is another thing. Regular podiums would be a first step but Yates managed to win one without even doing that. The new generation has already arrived : Pogacar, Bernal, Carapaz etc so it doesn't get any easier for the second tier grand tour riders who are still yet to win one. Riders like Stephen K and Rodriguez looked almost certain to win a grand tour but couldn't manage it, Pinot looked well on track in the Tour last year until another DNF. He looked headed for the podium at least. Porte is showing this year at age 35 what might have been but still couldn't avoid trouble on one vital stage which cost him a podium unless he can do something special in the TT.