For 2013, I’ve assembled my own Spanish armada of experienced stage and hilly Classics racers. I’m still following the best Grand Tour rider of his generation, Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff). Movistarlet Alejandro Valverde, who spent last season sitting on my substitute’s bench, just in case Alberto copped a longer suspension, has been promoted to the first team. And I couldn’t relinquish my bond with those loveable Carrots so I’ll be keeping a close eye on former Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez.

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff)

Age: 30.

Nationality: Spanish.

Role: Leader in Grand Tours and hilly Classics.

2012 WorldTour ranking: 12th, 290 pts.

2012 highlights:

• 1st overall at Vuelta a España, one stage win.
• Won Milano-Torino.
• 4th overall at Eneco Tour.

Why I’m following him:

Alberto is the best Grand Tour rider of his generation and he’ll be looking to add to the five Grand Tours he’s already won in the forthcoming three seasons, which might be his last if comments ahead of his 30th birthday in December were anything to go by:

It’s painful to turn 30. Now I have a three-year contract and I will finish it. I will not over-extend my career. Now I look back and I think it’s amazing how I’ve aged over these years. This is a hard sport, but physically I feel fine. I am still motivated, I recover well and I am stronger and more experienced than ever. All this keeps me motivated.

I’ve followed his career with interest since meeting him at Paris-Nice while he was riding for Liberty-Seguros. If he’s only going to ride for another three years, I want to make the most of it. Unsurprisingly, he’s going to be at the start of the centenary Tour de France in Corsica. Like last year, Alberto’s going to be opening his season at the Tour de San Luis, so I guess I’m going to be listening once again on the radio to Argentina’s answer to Murray Walker come 21st January.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)

Age: 32.

Nationality: Spanish.

Role: Leader in Grand Tours and hilly Classics.

2012 WorldTour ranking: 5th, 394 pts.

2012 highlights:

• 2nd overall at Tour Down Under, won one stage.
• 3rd overall at Paris-Nice, won one stage.
• 1st overall at Vuelta a Andalucia, won one stage, won points and combination classifications.
• Won one stage at the Tour de France
• 2nd overall at the Vuelta a Espana, won two individual stages and team time trial, won points classification and combination classifications.
• 3rd in Road World Championships road race.

Why I’m following him:

After two years on the naughty step, I was impressed with the way Alejandro bounced back in 2012. He lost a few more fans with his callous treatment of Levi Leipheimer in Paris-Nice, only to suffer a similar fate in the Vuelta which prompted many to feel he’d gotten his just desserts. He’s hugely popular in his native Spain and impressed many with his performance in the Vuelta. He finished third in the World Championships road race but was accused of leaving nominated team leader Oscar Freire in the lurch – apparently they’ve since kissed and made up.

Alejandro’s starting his season a little later to enable him to focus on his prime objectives: the Tour, Vuelta and World Championships. At Movistar’s recent team presentation he revealed he would probably start his season at the Trophea Mallorca, then continue with the Vueltas a Andalucia, Murcia and Almeria followed by either the Volta a Catalunya or the Vuelta al Pais Vasco before the Ardennes Classics: Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi)

Age: 34.

Nationality: Spanish.

Role: Leader in Grand Tours and hilly Classics.

2012 WorldTour ranking: 9th, 332 pts.

2012 highlights:

• 1st overall at Vuelta al Pais Vasco, won two stages, won points classification.
• 2nd overall at Volta a Catalunya, won one stage.
• 2nd at Il Lombardia.

Why I’m following him:

I have a bit of a soft spot for Samu who, Olympic gold medal aside, has more runners-up spots on his palmares than Raymond Poulidor has had hot dinners and has remained faithful to the tango-clad team who gave him his first chance in the professional ranks. Said team is hugely reliant upon him to score UCI ranking points which is presumably why they’ve given him a three-year contract.

Eight years after his sole participation, Samu is making the Giro d’Italia his main target for this season and, as a consequence, is making a number of changes to his traditional early season calendar. Sadly, he won’t take part in Paris-Nice but will instead ride his maiden Tirreno-Adriatico. This might be his first race of the season if he decides to forego the Vuelta a Andalucia. As defending champion, he will naturally line up at his home race, the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, before setting his cap at Amstel Gold and/or Liege-Bastogne-Liege.  He’ll only decide after the Giro whether he’ll line up at the Tour or the Vuelta later in the year.

Websites: Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Samuel Sanchez

Twitter: @albertocontador, @alejanvalverde