Contador, the champion in 2007 and 2009 who also won the Tours of Italy and Spain in 2008, will saddle up for the start of the three-week epic on Saturday (early Sunday AEST) as the favourite to top the podium in Paris on July 25.
However the Spanish climbing specialist knows that obstacles over which he has little control -- attacks from rivals, crashes and even the weight of living up to expectations -- will make his task doubly harder.
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"Nothing is more difficult than winning a race for which everyone says you're the favourite," he said. "You know that any moment of weakness will be exploited by your opponents."
With a total of six high mountain stages including three summit finishes, one long time trial and no team time trial, the race looks tailor-made for Contador.
The Astana rider is ranked just ahead of 2009 runner-up Andy Schleck, with seven-time champion Lance Armstrong among a handful of challengers that also includes Italian Ivan Basso, Britain's Bradley Wiggins and Australian Cadel Evans.
However Contador's outlook could all change as of Tuesday, depending on what damage has been done by the third stage's 213km ride from Wanze in Belgium to Arenberg in northern France which features seven sections of cobblestones.
Contador inspected the stage a few months ago in the company of retired Belgian one-day specialist Peter Van Petegem.
But some rivals believe it was a futile exercise that will mean nothing when the jostling to get to the front ahead of the cobblestones will prompt panic, cause crashes and leave many top contenders counting their losses.
"Someone will lose the race that day, I just don't know who it's going to be," said Garmin-Transitions team boss Jonathan Vaughters.
"It could be Lance (Armstrong), it could be Contador, could be (Andy) Schleck. Whatever happens, there will be some happy people that day, and some not so happy."
After his impressive third place finish last year, a massive question mark has followed Armstrong to the 2010 edition following a season upset by a crash at the Tour of California.
Yet the 38-year-old American, who battled cancer in 1998 to come back and win the Tour seven consecutive years from 1999-2005, appears to be finding form at the right time and has a strong RadioShack team at his sides.
His first serious test was at the Tour of Switzerland last month, where he had the Schleck brothers Andy and Frank, second and fifth respectively at the Tour in 2009, struggling to keep up on the hardest mountain stage.
Saxo Bank's Stuart O'Grady, whose job is to protect the Schlecks for as long as possible in the race, said he believes that chinks in Contador's armour give Armstrong a real chance of causing an upset.
"Alberto's obviously the big favourite, but does he have a stronger team than he does last year? I'm not so sure, so it should be interesting," the Australian said.
"Mentally, Armstrong's ready. We saw that in (the Tour of) Switzerland.
"On the big mountain day he was right up there and had the Schlecks in trouble -- and he's going to get better and better. I would say definitely top five, if not podium."
After the obstacles of a first week that will also allow the sprinters to shine, the race heads into the Alps for three stages but only one summit finish.
Yet the real yellow jersey battle will not be unleashed until the final week in the Pyrenees, where the legendary Col du Tourmalet will feature twice -- once on stage 16 and a day after the final rest day, on stage 17.
Although a penultimate stage time trial could change the standings slightly, Andy Schleck is hoping to launch the bulk of his challenge -- to Contador, or anyone else -- in the Pyrenees.
"I'm not here to fight Contador. I'm here to win the Tour," said Schleck.
"There are many others (challengers) and I am ready to fight all of them."
