My thought is the Alps being on the back this year may have something to do with it. They are the harder range, I think they may have some pop up later. Also they are saying (per Cyclingnews, sorry no link) there are some new drugs they are developing tests on. They also think there was blood doping but I think that is very hard to catch if they are trying to cover it. There were a few guys that never seemed to have a day to rest, but performed amazing on the hardest stages. That just seems a little hard to believe but they are professionals, right?