If that's true, now that the Tour de France (and all other races) are
composed purely of aluminum and carbon bikes, what is the rate of
failures there? After all, these are bikes that are ridden more in a
month than most bicycles get ridden in their entire lifetime. Plus,
they get ridden outside in the rain, get bashed over cobblestone roads
at high speed, and get washed with corrosive chemicals and blasted with
a hose every single day of their lives.

When WAS the last time a steel bike won any significant race, of any
kind, any where? I'm not old enough to remember.

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