I wouldn't put it past Tour organizers to pull a stunt like this to get PR traction for the tour...
Of course - the stages and routes selected for racing will always favor one kind of rider over another.
And yes racing is the epitome of a
public-relations stunt. So what is your point?
Are you implying that the cyclists in the tour are not competing? Or is bicycle stage-racing too complex for you to understand how team work and training make certain outcomes seem inevitable?