diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/contention.go b/pkg/router/controller/contention.go
index d9e1e2341..0f159bf73 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/contention.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/contention.go
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 
-	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
-	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp/cmpopts"
-
 	routev1 "github.com/openshift/api/route/v1"
 )
 
@@ -258,15 +255,36 @@ func ingressEqual(a, b *routev1.RouteIngress) bool {
 }
 
 // ingressConditionsEqual determines if the route ingress conditions are equal,
-// while ignoring LastTransitionTime
+// while ignoring LastTransitionTime.
 func ingressConditionsEqual(a, b []routev1.RouteIngressCondition) bool {
-	conditionCmpOpts := []cmp.Option{
-		cmpopts.EquateEmpty(),
-		cmpopts.IgnoreFields(routev1.RouteIngressCondition{}, "LastTransitionTime"),
-		cmpopts.SortSlices(func(a, b routev1.RouteIngressCondition) bool { return a.Type < b.Type }),
+	if len(a) != len(b) {
+		return false
 	}
 
-	return cmp.Equal(a, b, conditionCmpOpts...)
+	// Compare each condition in a with every condition in b.
+	// Given the current max of only two conditions, nested loops are more efficient than sorting.
+	for i := 0; i < len(a); i++ {
+		matchFound := false
+		for j := 0; j < len(b); j++ {
+			if conditionsEqual(&a[i], &b[j]) {
+				matchFound = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !matchFound {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+// conditionsEqual compares two RouteIngressConditions, ignoring LastTransitionTime.
+func conditionsEqual(a, b *routev1.RouteIngressCondition) bool {
+	return a.Type == b.Type &&
+		a.Status == b.Status &&
+		a.Reason == b.Reason &&
+		a.Message == b.Message
 }
 
 func ingressConditionTouched(ingress *routev1.RouteIngress) *metav1.Time {
diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/extended_validator.go b/pkg/router/controller/extended_validator.go
index 7c7184eaf..a3112443f 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/extended_validator.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/extended_validator.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ func (p *ExtendedValidator) HandleEndpoints(eventType watch.EventType, endpoints
 
 // HandleRoute processes watch events on the Route resource.
 func (p *ExtendedValidator) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: ExtendedValidator")
 	// Check if previously seen route and its Spec is unchanged.
 	routeName := routeNameKey(route)
 	if err := routeapihelpers.ExtendedValidateRoute(route).ToAggregate(); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/host_admitter.go b/pkg/router/controller/host_admitter.go
index d26d1e909..36db3516a 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/host_admitter.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/host_admitter.go
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ func (p *HostAdmitter) HandleEndpoints(eventType watch.EventType, endpoints *kap
 
 // HandleRoute processes watch events on the Route resource.
 func (p *HostAdmitter) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: HostAdmitter")
 	if p.allowedNamespaces != nil && !p.allowedNamespaces.Has(route.Namespace) {
 		// Ignore routes we don't need to "service" due to namespace
 		// restrictions (ala for sharding).
diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/status.go b/pkg/router/controller/status.go
index 102a57300..5b7c930ed 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/status.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/status.go
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ var nowFn = getRfc3339Timestamp
 
 // HandleRoute attempts to admit the provided route on watch add / modifications.
 func (a *StatusAdmitter) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: StatusAdmitter")
 	switch eventType {
 	case watch.Added, watch.Modified:
 		performIngressConditionUpdate("admit", a.lease, a.tracker, a.client, a.lister, route, a.routerName, a.routerCanonicalHostname, routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
@@ -232,6 +233,8 @@ func performIngressConditionRemoval(action string, lease writerlease.Lease, trac
 // attempts to update the route status and, depending on the outcome, clears the tracker if necessary. It returns the
 // writerlease's WorkResult and a boolean flag indicating whether the writerlease should retry.
 func handleRouteStatusUpdate(ctx context.Context, action string, oc client.RoutesGetter, route *routev1.Route, latest *routev1.RouteIngress, tracker ContentionTracker) (workResult writerlease.WorkResult, retry bool) {
+	log.V(4).Info("attempting to update route status")
+
 	switch _, err := oc.Routes(route.Namespace).UpdateStatus(ctx, route, metav1.UpdateOptions{}); {
 	case err == nil:
 		log.V(4).Info("updated route status", "action", action, "namespace", route.Namespace, "name", route.Name)
diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/status_test.go b/pkg/router/controller/status_test.go
index 0d8ce8ec0..1ef09fb8e 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/status_test.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/status_test.go
@@ -946,6 +946,22 @@ func TestRouterContentionOnCondition(t *testing.T) {
 			}},
 			expectContend: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "changing condition status with empty reason and message causes contention",
+			conditions: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{{
+				Type:               routev1.RouteAdmitted,
+				Status:             kapi.ConditionTrue,
+				LastTransitionTime: &notNow,
+			}},
+			updateConditions: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{{
+				Type:               routev1.RouteAdmitted,
+				Status:             kapi.ConditionFalse,
+				Reason:             "foo",
+				Message:            "foo",
+				LastTransitionTime: &now,
+			}},
+			expectContend: true,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "changing condition reason causes contention",
 			conditions: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{{
@@ -1074,6 +1090,72 @@ func TestRouterContentionOnCondition(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Benchmark_ingressConditionsEqual benchmarks the ingressConditionEqual function. Efficiency is crucial for
+// this function as it directly impacts the performance of the contention tracker, potentially delaying the
+// detection of contentions.
+func Benchmark_ingressConditionsEqual(b *testing.B) {
+	now := metav1.Now()
+	notNow := metav1.Time{Time: now.Add(3 * time.Minute)}
+	admittedCondition := routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+		Type:               routev1.RouteAdmitted,
+		Status:             kapi.ConditionTrue,
+		Reason:             "foo",
+		Message:            "foo",
+		LastTransitionTime: &now,
+	}
+	unservableCondition := routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+		Type:               routev1.RouteUnservableInFutureVersions,
+		Status:             kapi.ConditionFalse,
+		Reason:             "bar",
+		Message:            "bar",
+		LastTransitionTime: &notNow,
+	}
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name  string
+		condA []routev1.RouteIngressCondition
+		condB []routev1.RouteIngressCondition
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "single",
+			condA: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+				admittedCondition,
+			},
+			condB: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+				unservableCondition,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mismatch_length",
+			condA: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+				admittedCondition,
+			},
+			condB: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+				unservableCondition,
+				admittedCondition,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "double",
+			condA: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+				admittedCondition,
+				unservableCondition,
+			},
+			condB: []routev1.RouteIngressCondition{
+				unservableCondition,
+				admittedCondition,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		b.ResetTimer()
+		b.Run(tc.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				ingressConditionsEqual(tc.condA, tc.condB)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // TestStatusUnservableInFutureVersions tests the StatusAdmitter's functionality for handling routes that are unservable
 // in future version of OpenShift.
 func TestStatusUnservableInFutureVersions(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/unique_host.go b/pkg/router/controller/unique_host.go
index bf1f6a3ba..0e712e6c2 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/unique_host.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/unique_host.go
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ func (p *UniqueHost) HandleNode(eventType watch.EventType, node *kapi.Node) erro
 // determines which component needs to be recalculated (which template) and then does so
 // on demand.
 func (p *UniqueHost) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: UniqueHost")
 	if p.allowedNamespaces != nil && !p.allowedNamespaces.Has(route.Namespace) {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/router/controller/upgrade_validation.go b/pkg/router/controller/upgrade_validation.go
index 3996c563a..fd9e05194 100644
--- a/pkg/router/controller/upgrade_validation.go
+++ b/pkg/router/controller/upgrade_validation.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ func (p *UpgradeValidation) HandleEndpoints(eventType watch.EventType, endpoints
 // It checks if the route is upgradeable to a future version of OpenShift
 // and sets UnservableInFutureVersions condition if needed.
 func (p *UpgradeValidation) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: UpgradeValidation")
 	routeName := routeNameKey(route)
 
 	// Force add and force removal logic for debugging and testing.
diff --git a/pkg/router/template/configmanager/haproxy/blueprint_plugin.go b/pkg/router/template/configmanager/haproxy/blueprint_plugin.go
index 2d43bfb20..9fe756387 100644
--- a/pkg/router/template/configmanager/haproxy/blueprint_plugin.go
+++ b/pkg/router/template/configmanager/haproxy/blueprint_plugin.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ func NewBlueprintPlugin(cm templaterouter.ConfigManager) *BlueprintPlugin {
 
 // HandleRoute processes watch events on blueprint routes.
 func (p *BlueprintPlugin) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: BlueprintPlugin")
 	switch eventType {
 	case watch.Added, watch.Modified:
 		return p.manager.AddBlueprint(route)
diff --git a/pkg/router/template/plugin.go b/pkg/router/template/plugin.go
index 0d536a697..d1633720d 100644
--- a/pkg/router/template/plugin.go
+++ b/pkg/router/template/plugin.go
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ func (p *TemplatePlugin) HandleNode(eventType watch.EventType, node *kapi.Node)
 // determines which component needs to be recalculated (which template) and then does so
 // on demand.
 func (p *TemplatePlugin) HandleRoute(eventType watch.EventType, route *routev1.Route) error {
+	log.V(10).Info("HandleRoute: TemplatePlugin")
 	switch eventType {
 	case watch.Added, watch.Modified:
 		p.Router.AddRoute(route)
diff --git a/pkg/router/writerlease/writerlease.go b/pkg/router/writerlease/writerlease.go
index ac348e876..67244c5c9 100644
--- a/pkg/router/writerlease/writerlease.go
+++ b/pkg/router/writerlease/writerlease.go
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func (l *WriterLease) work() bool {
 	if leaseState == Follower {
 		// if we are following, continue to defer work until the lease expires
 		if remaining := leaseExpires.Sub(l.nowFn()); remaining > 0 {
-			log.V(4).Info("follower awaiting lease expiration", "worker", l.name, "leaseTimeRemaining", remaining)
+			log.V(4).Info("follower awaiting lease expiration", "worker", l.name, "key", key, "leaseTimeRemaining", remaining)
 			time.Sleep(remaining)
 			l.queue.Add(key)
 			l.queue.Done(key)
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ func (l *WriterLease) nextState(result WorkResult) {
 		case Election, Follower:
 			l.tick = 0
 			l.state = Leader
+			log.V(4).Info("state change: elected to leader", "worker", l.name)
 		}
 		l.expires = l.nowFn().Add(l.maxBackoff)
 	case Release:
@@ -310,6 +311,7 @@ func (l *WriterLease) nextState(result WorkResult) {
 		case Election, Leader:
 			l.tick = 0
 			l.state = Follower
+			log.V(4).Info("state change: demoted to follower", "worker", l.name)
 		case Follower:
 			l.tick++
 		}