I disagree here, I think it´s the opposite, he is always trying everything, every his 2nd place in the Tour was really hardly battled, as you said he wasn´t, doesn´t and never will be a pure sprinter, so he just have to try his best in all sprint finish against top sprinters, otherwise he would never finished any close of his positions in flat stages. + I don´t remember any other cyclist who had so many so close and frustrating losses by milimeters like against Greipel, Kittel today Neulissen or Ciolek at that famous Milan-San remo few years ago