The gearing might be "easier" today but also they wouldn't have sent riders up say, the Plateau de Gileres back in the 50s, unless they wanted everyone to walk up.
To be honest, as someone who prefers the longer, more epic climbs, I'm not a huge fan of the modern Vuelta trend of sending riders with low gears on the steepest, most miserable looking goat track roads they can find, but that's one of the few ways to break up mountain train tactics, unfortunately, and fans like them.
But yeah, personally I'd take the classic Saises/Arivas/Joux-Plane tour route any day over Saises/Arivas/Gileres like they did this year.