The mountainous return of Alberto Contador

The 2012 Vuelta a Espana has been a terrific race so far. The Vuelta is the third of the three grand tours that are run each summer. As it comes at the end of the season, well after the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, it is usually snubbed by most riders and is widely considered the least important of the three tours.

Instead, it is often highly spectacular. The mountainous Spanish territory guarantees a climb-intensive route, and this year the organizers have outdone themselves by planning seven climb finishes, including three hors-categorie (climbs so steep that they are "beyond categorization," usually 18-20% steep on average, with peaks of 23-25%).

The 2012 Vuelta was especially attractive for the much-hyped return of Alberto Contador, the three-time Tour de France winner who recently finished his 10-month ban for missing an anti-doping test. (Let me reiterate that, unlike in the Armstrong case, there is as of yet no evidence of any sort against Contador). Alberto had already raced at the Eneco Tour in August, a brief 6-stage race in the Benelux, but his grand return was set for the roads of his native Spain.

Thankfully, Contador did not disappoint. He will not win this Vuelta, which will go to Joaquim "Purito" Rodriguez, but he has very positively impressed. The past two weeks have been evidence that "more of the same" can be great.

Rodriguez earned the red jersey of the general classification leader early on in the race, and on every single mountain stage Contador has attacked, trying to take it away from him. The key stage has been the time trial, where Contador is much stronger. He started that day 51 seconds back, but only edged out Rodriguez by 50.5 seconds, and so Purito stayed in red for a mere half-second! That has determined all the following stages, where Contador has been forced to attack instead of being able to control and defend. Rodriguez has not only responded to every single attack, but has managed to beat Contador in three occasions and win two more stages himself, thus bringing his advantage back up to 28 seconds. With only one mountain stage left, the Vuelta is now only Rodriguez's to lose.

Me, of course I rooted for Alberto and am disappointed in this outcome, but not for any demerits on his side. Rodriguez is in stellar condition and has proved to be a great climber, a skill he has developed recently and that will serve him well in 2013. And as this was Contador's first major event after the ban, I think Contador can be entirely satisfied of his own performance. Rodriguez says that he has counted over 30 separate attacks by Contador on the mountains. I didn't keep tabs, but that sounds about right. That is an amazing feat by itself, especially on these insane climbs.

Now I really hope that these two stay in shape through the Fall and Winter. If Froome, Nibali, and Schleck also train right, and perhaps skip some of the Spring classics, we could have FIVE main contenders for the Giro and Tour in the summer of 2013. If that's not epic cycling, I don't know what is.