“he will always be just a domestique” - I mean that is true, and has been for a while. He is clearly not as good as Roglic and Vingegaard. If he wants team leadership then he would have to go elsewhere.

That said, the ‘best’ rider doesn’t always win Grand Tours and he may well still win this race. It would certainly be the best story. If he doesn’t win, it will be because he wasn’t as strong as the winner. That may be a bit harsh, but very hard to argue that it is ‘undeserved’.