El Pistolero has stormed back into form this season, marching to the top of the world rankings in supreme style with a string of hugely impressive performances. He is yet to finish lower than second overall in any stage race this season, and has claimed victories at Tirreno-Adriatico and the Tour of the Basque Country.

At the former, he was at his climbing best, blasting to victory atop the Guardiagrele, while he took the latter after some relentless attacking – before countering Valverde’s attempts to respond for the rest of the week.

At the Dauphine he may have been guilty of marking the wrong man on the final climb, costing him the yellow jersey, but he still showed is one of the only riders capable of matching Chris Froome. Stage two proved as much – though Froome took the stage, Contador had matched him move for move on the Col du Beal.

He also boasts a phenomenally strong squad – albeit one now missing Roman Kreuziger, while the Czech’s biological passport is investigated. Nicolas Roche and Michael Rogers are more than capable of protecting Contador in the mountains and Contador more than capable of bettering Froome in the race for the yellow jersey.