After my experience of living & training in Limburg (Netherlands, immediately adjacent to Flanders) for three years, I can state empirically that my Dura Ace 7400 chains and freewheels wore out MUCH faster than they did when I lived in Colorado Springs & Killeen, TX.
The old 7400 was tough,tough stuff; but riding daily in the rain, (even on comparatively clean bike paths in a bike-centric culture & infrastructure) for months at a time shortened its service life noticeably.

S'not overblown at all, IMO.