He is contracted with the team for what? Another 5 years? And he can't come out to support the team's efforts before the final stage?
On the other hand, if he did show up earlier, all of the media hype would be around him and none of the other great riders would get the public exposure that they are getting. My personal thought: If he didn't steal the show in the beginning, why steal it at the end? Is he going to announce an attempt at the hour record on the track? As such an amazing physical specimen, it is a shame to have lost him to retirement. Enough babble...