We have a month of speculation ahead but let me to start a technical discussion (not a statistic and history analysis)...

Monte and Sweden are classified as special rallys with no real performance indication.

If monte conidions are 2017 like reason is simple; there is never enough grip under tires so car can't perform at its "working ability".

In Sweden it is not so obvious to me. Special snow tires gives grip that can be compared with the one on gravel. Gravel roads under the snow are diverse, from fast and flowing to narrow, "cresty", camber changing and even rough. If there are big snowbanks driving style can be different, otherwise driving is quite similar to gravel. In the past when tires were super narrow and rims were bigger, tire dynamic may be different, but with 15" rims I can imagine that tires perform similar to gravel ones. So I can't find a obvious reason why fast snow car would not be a also a fast gravel car. (again not talking about drivers, used to snow or not and snowbanks leaning driving)

Let me hear your opinion...