Chris, I totally get the eye-forward peloton/group etiquette. I just get a little grumpy when internet forum armchair quarterbacks get overly critical of pros as if they don't know what the hell they're doing. Hell, I just find Paceline generally overly critical of pros and cycling stuff in general (don't you ever say anything negative about custom builders though as the retrogrouches will be all over you). Everyone's entitled to their opinion but I just prefer to not criticize professionals because I'm not one
To be fair, I've heard some pros (even Barguil recently) complain about him riding to power all the time but no mention of being bothered by stem-staring per se.