To the degree that, as a fan, one is in any way substantively impacted by the lives of millionaire athletes, it's going to be slightly sad when Boonen, and then Valverde inevitably retire.
They're both only a few years younger than me. I raced against Boonen, and while I didn't get to race against Valverde, I feel like I kinda did by proxy, since I competed against a half-dozen of his K-CB teammates at the time (and am still friends w/ some now). Just me brushing lightly up against others' greatness, but still enough of an experience to appreciate how amazing all those guys are.
And Boonen and Cancellara dueling in the cobbled classics...argh, why did they both have to have such intermittent bad luck and suffer such serious injuries that interrupted their spring campaigns in various years...
Contador...I've never been a particular, studious fan of the GC riders since LeMond retired. I was 14 in '89 and GL's TdF win that year was when pro road cycling really came on my radar; LeMond was so incredibly talented, I doubt people who started following the sport after he retired even understand just how physiologically gifted LeMonster really was. But I think Contador's win in the Giro last year was the stuff of true grit.
The four to be ranked are all great riders.
Valverde has entertained me as a fan the most, followed by Boonen, then Contador, and finally, Cancellara, who - while awesome - I just feel no affinity for (except as a necessary rival to elevate Boonen lol).
BTW: although I don't much care for Carlton Kirby (he blocked me on Twitter when I don't think we'd ever even interacted to best of my recollection), it's a relief that he and the other people who do English-language race commentary and analysis for Eurosport don't endlessly moan on-air about Valverde's purported links to Operation Puerto. I know Vino is evil, but he was still a fascinating character and super-compelling rider, and it annoyed me to no end how seemingly every time he did something awesome on the bike (legit or not) in 2010 (and 2012) commentators/journalists like Ned Boulting, Matt Rendell (who I consider a friend) and even Boardman would not shut up about Vino's refusal to apologize for doping. Even if he was charging just as hard during 1) the Giro where he wore the maglia rosa; 2) stage 13 of the TdF; 3) Trentino; 4) Liege; 5) San Sebastián, and 6) the Olympic rr, the spectacle of what he was achieving should've been appreciated and highlighted by the commentariat.
Digital/print English-language media seems to have only recently come around to Valverde, but at least when he's been showing his class on the bike in a race the commentators I've listened to haven't subjecting him to the Vino treatment.
BTW#2: Agreed w/ what someone said upthread about Sagan being seemingly the most dynamic/talented/compelling (paraphrasing) rider of this newer generation of professionals. Idk how you can not be a fan of his. Super-talented from earliest days, races to win, and actually has a compelling personality w/o seeming to manifest huge ego.
Just a shame that both he and Contador had to come into the orbit of Tinkoff. While I acknowledge the Russian put a lot of money into pro cycling and created economic opportunities for riders and staff, his oversized ego, his casual racism and boorishness (not to mention incredibly poor talent-management skills) can't be non-toxic characteristics for the riders to be associated with. Still, though, better him (Tinkoff) spending money in cycling than somewhere else.
(the above is obviously all just my opinion so if you disagree no worries. i just felt like reflecting on this)
*edit: I described Valv,Piti's links to Puerto as "purported", but I know his DNA was matched to plasma seized during the investigation. I just like how he's never openly admitted his involvement w/ Fuentes (Kelme team doc! lol).
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