Yeah not being in Bahrain in 2021 does make me sad. Were there any rumors why he was leaving other than being left to assume a simple case of he demanded more than they wanted to give him?
In all honesty it feels like he's wasted too many seasons on the Tour, whether he did the Giro or not. In 2019 he got a stage win and that was it for the year.
Change of management, the infamous Milan Erzen taking over, the accident in 2018 and the long road to recovery and most likely other details. Speaking of too many Tour seasons, 2019 was somehow forced on him by Bahrain, maybe another reason for leaving.
But, that 2018 Tour, he had a very good shape, "stratospheric" by the words of Delfino, there is no doubt in my mind that he could've finished on the podium maybe even with a stage win (Alpe was there for the grabs when the crash happened).
That damned accident *ed up so many wonderful things that could have happened, Vuelta, the worlds, another Lombardia in the bag.