Why don't you patronisingly ask Levrone, Nasser, Wheeler and all the other guys he leap-frogged to do the math? haha, what do you think they'd say at your hypothesised lack of improvement in those years?
Who said he didn't improve? he did in density & dryness , he already had the size , shape and freaky bodyparts he just needed the outstanding conditioning to compliment them.
Shawn Ray said in 1998 he was ' most improved ' but shouldn't have won the Olympia just based on that.
Ronnie showed flashes of greatness when he beat Flex in 96 he was just hit-or-miss and remember he beat Levrone , Nasser and Wheeler ( among others ) before he became Mr Olympia