paperbackwriter

I'm not sure this logic would resonate with some Contador's fans. Of course a win is a win but many people have their reasons for prefering Contador over riders like Evans/Valverde/Leipheimer and those lie precisely in the different styles of racing. Heck, people even prefer Contador over Froome because Froome is pretty much a one trick pony. Even though the Sky rider at the same time is pretty aggresive, many would take Contador's old school style over Froome constantly checking his numbers. Because that's what gave us Fuente De and Alpe d'Huez 2011 and this awesome Tirreno stage this year.
Vino once said that he views himself as an actor who's out there to create a spectacle - and I'd guess that's something Contador could agree with to an extent, which is why as the years pass he keeps gaining new supporters and even those who started off rooting for Schleck or someone else often change their minds.

That said, while it's entirely up to Contador how he wins and entirely up to cycling fans how they evaluate his performance, obviously it's easy to be too judgemental from the sofa. The facts are he just came back from a serious injury and a major psychological blow, and the way he handles himself in this Vuelta is admirable in itself; and you can't really say he's riding conservatively either.