Hasn't that been the trend for years though? If you're not clear cut favourite, the amount of risk taking diminishes so you don't risk losing ground in the fight for secondary places? Not saying that Roglic and Evenpoel were eyeing each other, they lost out to inattention, but I don't think either would have instigated today.The problem is what happened is against nature and totally backwards.
It should be the challengers who're ranked 3rd and lower in pre-race predictions making the race hard on terrain that can yield time gaps if they play their cards right, not the other way around.
Lose a minute against Pog and Vinge on a climb? Okay. No problemo. But losing it on the flat like giving them a gift was just not proper racing intelligence.