So just because average speed is marginally (!) higher than it was 20 years ago it's "too fast to be clean"? Great "data journalism" there. If anything, it looks pretty stable since the 2000s.
What about improvements in technology, what about different routes and distance each year, improvements in training, number of time trial or mountain stages, maybe there is more riding as a peloton in recent tours, resulting in higher averages?
What about improvements in technology, what about different routes and distance each year, improvements in training, number of time trial or mountain stages, maybe there is more riding as a peloton in recent tours, resulting in higher averages?