the fact that its happening in covid season is far too coincidental for my taste, you couldnt invent a better time to do PEDs than now - no only is there an oportunity but also there isnt "political will" to fight it because of big financial loss
imho there are 3 big factors in it - drugs (they are everpresent), natural scientific advancement (might be ketones, might be some other marginal gains type of stuff) and simple fact that uncertainty over races creates a lot of desperation, because you never know if the season isnt canceled tommorow, especially with riders in contract year, being on top of their game while they can is important (nobody wants to end up like NTT guys), it would be foolish to save yourself for Tour when you dont know if there is going to be one
safe to say, once we arrive into the end of the season and the performances are still mindblowing, there will be only one answer left - especially if we see CX guys riding all year around, in top form, without breaks and still demolishing the oposition