I've been intentionally avoiding this post, but I checked out the last few pages (with my ignore list shielding me), and I can weigh in on a few things. I also read that the salute is for his long-time girlfriend, Macarena. From my perspective as an American who's been around a while, it never makes me think of shooting. I've seen it used as a gesture of greeting or recognition for years, and yes, some times even in a flirtatious way. Some years back, actor Paul Newman was introduced from the audience of the David Letterman show. He stood up and made the gesture to Dave, and then to bandleader Paul Shaefer. Dave thought it was cool as hell, and showed a replay later.
I agree about the time frame of Giro d'Italia or before.
I read tons of interviews last Fall, and a few mentioned the hunting. One said that he enjoys going out with his dog Tour, and that they end up running. When asked, he said that birds have nothing to fear from him. Last Fall when he was at the one race weekend at the resort with the Schleck boys, he invited Andy, also a hunter, to come hunting with him some time.
Armstrong was the one that called him Pistolero. I don't think he ever did it in person, but in his obnoxious tweet after the Tour.
Alberto gave an interview in English earlier in the year, and afterward said that his English instructor would be pulling his hair out if he saw it. But he and Specialized are making an effort. They close caption his interview videos with English subtitles. If you think about it, he doesn't race, or do interviews, in countries where English is the main language. But there are tons of interviews in Spanish that never get translated. And while it was cool that they made the video of the road trip last week, he talked a ton and I have no idea what any of it was. I was reading excerpts from the press conference in other languages yesterday before VeloNews posted the story, and the quotes (of the same answers) were different in all of them.
From what I can tell, Contador is an intelligent, professional, honest, thoughtful person. He called Jonathan Vaughters up to wish him a Happy New Year, and JV tweeted about what a polite boy he is.
If you want to understand him, just go to the English side of his website and read through the old "News" articles, and the ones in the Press Room. Here's one to get you started:
http://www.albertocontador.com/noticias.detalle.php?id=92
And here's the best interview I read about the Tour last year.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/436521/after-the-tour-the-alberto-contador-interview.html
Forget the nonsense that Armstrong spewed and make up your own minds.