Can someone explain - why do pros select smaller frames

I chatted with a pro about this a few years ago over a cinnamon roll, talked about some of the bonkers stuff some riders demand which makes no sense. 5-10*+ of saddle tilt, 140mm stems, 140psi in tires, and that basically all of it is ignorance and defiance of change. If you grow-up riding a tiny bike and miserable riding position, that will feel normal and when you have the authority of a pro, you don’t change. It was also interesting to hear about saddle sponsors complaining about riders spray-painting logos onto “their” saddles.

Also, I didn’t look at the numbers on the F10, but some bikes have peculiar dimensions and if you’re selecting a bike around maximum stack and reach numbers, you can only go down rather than up in frame size numbers.