airstream said:Actually, I'm just for GT discussions. Don't like other races too much and follow them only to know what perspectives everyone has. So we could discuss GT stuff in any thread. But since there a lot of you (Contador fans) and I'm the one, discussions forcedly take this shape. And yet I root for many riders like Haimar Zubeldia, Mikel Astarloza or Arnold Jennesson, but they are not popular personages all to pieces and no one will discuss them.
I've always been a fan of the Spanish, Italian and Columbian climbers and when Contador came along with his out of the saddle climbing style when he's attacking reminded me of one of my favorites, Iban Mayo. You can imagne my excitement with he and Zubeldia climbing with the elite in the Tour. I always hoped that Mayo would somehow eventually dethrone Armstrong, making him eat his dust in the mountains but it was never to be. When I first saw Contador, the Paris-Nice where he almost crashed when his shoe clicked out of his pedal while he was attacking on a descent, I immediatately became a fan. His standing up to Armstrong and Bruyneel in 2009, when it was pretty much expected by the LA throng of fans (and himself) to be a sauntering parade back to the top of the Tour podium, and Contador delivering the smackdown that he long deserved cemented it for me.
As far as the grand tours go, they are the highlights of my cycling season because of the (potential) epic nature of the drama that develops over the course of the 3 weeks. Especially with the Tour, as far as with those with gc aspirations, all the major weeklong stage races are active in building up the drama and anticipation for the month of July.