He lost several sprints to (normally) inferior sprinters on the first small French races of the season, by launching his sprint too early.

He can keep sprinting for longer, but with lower top speed.

That's perfect... to launch other sprinters 😃 I mean, when he doesn't vastly overpower other sprinters, that's what actually happens.

edit: today, he was really very very strong, since he also took more wind before the sprint than any other rider, as while his team was leading – and that lasted a fair number of kilometres –, he was often in 2^nd^ position of the peloton.