I can understand that ^^ but these things could just as easily be a sign of a cleaner peloton. You're always going to have a stronger guy at the race. If you look at Gilbert's progression - I know this has already been stated, but - you see a very specialized kind of rider, with huge talent, taking a long while to find his place and live up to his promise.
I think that's how a clean rider should develop. I mean it's not like Lance, who came out of nowhere to win the Tour when he was really never a GT rider.