From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
General Classification (1969, 1970, 1971,
1972, 1974)
Points Classification (1969, 1971, 1972)
Mountain Classification (1969, 1970)
Combativity award (1969, 1970, 1974, 1975)
Combination Classification (1969, 1970, 1971,
1972, 1974)
34 Individual Stages (1969–1975)
Giro d’Italia
General Classification (1968, 1970, 1972,
1973, 1974)
Points Classification (1968, 1973)
Mountain Classification (1968)
24 Individual Stages (1968–1974)
Vuelta a España
Merckx in 1973 General Classification (1973)
Personal information Points Classification (1973)
Full name Edouard Louis Joseph Merckx Combination Classification (1973)
Nickname The Cannibal 6 Individual Stages
Born 17 June 1945 (1945-06-17)
Stage Races
Meensel-Kiezegem, Belgium
Paris–Nice
Team information General classification (1969, 1970, 1971)
Current team Retired Tour de Suisse
General classification (1974)
Discipline Road and track
Single-Day Races and Classics
Role Rider Road Race World Championships (1967, 1971, 1974)
Rider type All-rounder Belgian National Road Race Championship (1970)
Amateur team(s) Milan – San Remo (1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972,
1961–1964 Evere Kerkhoek Sportif 1975, 1976)
Professional team(s) Ronde van Vlaanderen (1969, 1975)
1965 Solo-Superia Paris–Roubaix (1968, 1970, 1973)
1966–1967 Peugeot-BP
1968–1970 Faema Liège–Bastogne–Liège (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973,
1971–1976 Molteni 1975)
1977 Fiat
Giro di Lombardia (1971, 1972)
1978 C&A
Super Prestige Pernod International (1969, 1970,
Major wins
1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975)
Grand Tours
Tour de France Medal record
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
“ "[He was my hero] because of the Tour de ”
Competitor for Belgium France. Ockers had won stages in it, won the
Road bicycle racing green jersey twice, finished second overall
twice. He was always in the news during the
World Championships
Tour de France, and the Tour was everything
Gold 1967 Heerlen Professional road race to me. The race. I didn’t even know much
about the classics because they were held on a
Gold 1971 Mendrisio Professional road race
Sunday, and on that day we used to visit my
Gold 1974 Montréal Professional road race grandmother at her farm in Meensel-
Kiezegem, where I was born."[4]
Infobox last updated on
16 January 2007
Merckx said:
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (Dutch pronuncia- “ "I hated school, I loved doing all the sports, ”
tion: [ˈmerks]) (born 17 June 1945 in Meensel- but I hated to be inside. I left as soon as I
Kiezegem[1]), better known as Eddy Merckx is a Belgian
Merckx, could. It caused friction at home, especially
former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo with my father. But it was typical of him that
called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has he supported my decision, especially when he
ever known."[2] The American publication, VeloNews, saw that I loved the thing I had chosen, cy-
called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all cling, and was doing well at it."[4]
time.[3] He won the Tour de France five times, won all
the monuments of cycling at least twice, with 19 mon-
ument victories in all,[2] won the Giro d’Italia five times
and the Vuelta a España once, won the world champion- Racing career
ship once as an amateur and three times as a profession-
al, and broke the world hour record. Early career
Merckx rode his first race at Laeken[5] on 16 July 1961,[6]
Origins riding for the Evere Kerkhoek Sportif club.[7] He rode 12
races before winning his first, at Petit-Enghien, on 1 Oc-
Eddy Merckx was one of three children born to a couple tober 1961.[2] The French magazine, Vélo, said:
who ran a grocery in the middle-class area of Sint-
Pieters-Woluwe, near Brussels, Belgium. His brother and Eddy Merckx was a spoiled child of the post-war
sister are twins.[4] The family moved to the suburb when generation. Very spoiled, in fact. To see that, you
he was young. He said: have only to look at photos of his youth: Eddy
“ I had a beautiful childhood. I had loving, very ” dressed as a page boy, as an injured soldier (his sis-
sensible parents. We weren’t rich, but my ter played the role of nurse), as a cowboy, the Mer-
younger brother and sister... and myself never ckx family on winter sports holidays, Eddy and his
wanted for anything. My father was a man of father’s Plymouth car. So many memories of a hap-
great character and my mother very warm py childhood far, very far, from those of a van Looy
and kind. Both of them were wonderful exam- or a Coppi. He was often reproached for it, but was
ples to me. Like everyone, I am a mixture of it his fault if God gave him so much? From his win
both of them. My determination and willing- at Hal [the year after his first victory], he started
ness to work hard came from my father. He to live the life of a proper professional. Félicien Ver-
worked tirelessly to build up his grocery busi- vaecke, an excellent rider from the 1930s, king of
ness. He was strict on discipline, but he was al- the mountains in the Tours de France of 1935 and
so a bit of a philosopher. I have kept some of 1937, second to Gino Bartali in 1938, drove him to
his sayings in my head for the whole of my the track at Schaerbeek every Tuesday. Then Guil-
life. From my mother I get my softer side. An laume Michiels, another celebrity, took over.[2]
example of that is the fact that I often find it
difficult to say no to people. They maybe don’t Merckx moved from the youth to the senior amateur
mean to, but people can use you up if you let class two months early.[8] At the time, riders had to wait
them.[4] until their 18th birthday. Merckx later said:
“ "I was winning races, but it wasn’t easy. I ”
He acquired his first racing bike, second-hand, when he wasn’t dominating anything back then."[8]
was eight. His hero was Stan Ockers, who died in a fall on
an Antwerp track in 1956. Patrick Sercu rode with him in newcomers’ and junior
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
races on the track at the Palais des Sports in Brussels. orde on 11 May. He came second to Walter Godefroot in
Merckx could not beat him on the track but Sercu said the national championship and was picked for the na-
that when he saw Merckx on the road he believed he was tional team for the world championship near San Sebas-
looking at a future winner of the Tour de France.[9] tian, Spain. The race was won by Tom Simpson. Simpson
rode normally for Peugeot and Merckx moved there the
Olympic Games and world champion- following year after nine wins with Solo.[1] There he won
ship the first of seven editions of Milan – San Remo[11] still
aged 20.
In 1964, he rode the road race at the 1964 Summer
In 1967 he repeated his 1966 Milan – San Remo suc-
Olympics and finished 12th.[n 1] In the same year, he be-
cess and also won La Flèche Wallonne. His first grand tour
came world amateur champion at Sallanches, France. He
was the 1967 Giro d’Italia, in which he won two stages
said his victory was tainted by the long list of riders who
and finished ninth. Later that year he out-sprinted Jan
had won the amateur championship and done nothing
Janssen and the Spaniard Ramon Saez to become world
afterwards.[8] Merckx said of the race:
professional champion at Heerlen, Netherlands.[11][12]
“ Yes, I remember it, [winning the world cham- ” Cycling ’s reporter, said:
pionship] but winning the Tour de France for
the first time was more important to me. The A gamble which paid off won the world professional
world championship can be won by any good title for Eddy Merckx, three years after his amateur
rider who has the right form on the right day, victory, the quickest ’conversion’ in history, and
but to win the Tour you have to be good every justification of a policy of careful preparation
day. I was in the break after the first few laps, rather than opportunism. The tall Belgian, who
but when the bunch started coming back to with his countryman Jean Aerts (now a radio com-
us, I broke away on the last climb to win by 27 mentator) is the only road-man to have done the
seconds from Walter Planckaert, with Gösta double, had led the race from the first lap... So they
Pettersson of Sweden third. Planckaert hadn’t came to the sprint, which was as clean as one could
realised I was away and he thought that he have hoped, the five men giving one another no
had won.[10] mercy, yet sprinting as straight as a die following
a lead by the ever-aggressive Jos van der Vleuten,
who blotted his copybook by refusing a dope-test
Turning professional after the finish. Merckx was flanked by Janssen on
his left, Saez on his right, two redoubtable sprinters
at the end of a long hard race, yet he left them no
opportunity of getting by.[12]
Merckx was earning 125,000 Belgian francs a year when
he won the championship (approx €2,000 at 2008 values).
He didn’t buy his first car until he had been a professional
for three years.[8]
Move to Italy
At Peugeot, Merckx had to pay for his wheels and tyres.[8]
In 1968 he moved to the Italian Faema team.[1][13] The
Italian coffee machine company had returned to spon-
Merckx at the 1966 World championship
sorship, having backed teams led by van Looy and others
in the past.[13] He said:
"The atmosphere at Peugeot was totally different [from
Solo-Superia]. All I got from van Looy and his cronies “ "It was a relief to ride in Italy. It wasn’t by ”
was ridicule, not one piece of help or advice. They were chance that all the big riders of the era want-
very unfair, I was still just a naïve young boy really. With ed to ride there. There was a structure, organ-
Peugeot, and especially with Tom [Simpson], it was com- isation, medical supervision [accompagne-
pletely different," ment]."[8]
Eddy Merckx,[4]
He turned professional on 29 April 1965,[1] after 80 wins Faema, however, had no interest in the Tour de Fr
as an amateur.[6] He joined Solo-Superia under Rik van
Looy. One of the other riders was Jean van Buggenhout, “ "They even had to find a sponsor, Coca-Cola to ”
who became his manager.[2] His first win was at Vilvo- be able to ride it. But I was 23 and I hadn’t yet
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
ridden it. I could see how it was going in to pace his ride.[16] He lost six seconds to Rudi Altig be-
France. I signed with Faema the day before the cause of a headwind in the outward stretch that dropped
world championship at Heerlen, in 1967. I for later starters. But he took his first yellow jersey in his
could earn three times as much with them home of Woluwe-St-Pierre at the end of a 15.6 km team
than I would in the next two years with Peu- time trial.[16] In stage two, ending in Maastricht, Mer-
geot."[8] ckx allowed his teammate Julien Stevens to take over the
yellow jersey because it is difficult for a favorite to lead
the race from the early stages and withstand his rival’s
Coca-Cola offered Merckx a million Belgian francs to ride
attacks for so many days.[16] Merckx reclaimed the lead
in 1968, van Buggenhout urged him to accept, but Merckx
in stage six on Ballon d’Alsace, in the Vosges of eastern
refused believing himself not strong enough to ride both
France where he attacked Roger De Vlaeminck, Altig, Ri-
the Giro – which was important to Faema- and the Tour –
ni Wagtmans and Manuel Galera. Pierre Chany wrote:
which wasn’t.[14][n 2]
Merckx won Paris–Roubaix and started his domina-
At the approach to the Ballon, Merckx came out of
tion of the grands tours by becoming the first Belgian to
the bunch like a bullet... From the first slopes, he
win the Giro d’Italia in 1968.[15] He did this another four
pushed the pace harder and dropped those who’d
times, equalling the record of five by Alfredo Binda and
gone with him, judged a nuisance and of no use. At
Fausto Coppi.
the summit, Altig had lost two minutes, the main
In 1969, he first won Paris–Nice. In the time trial, he
challengers for victory were at 4m 30s, and Désiré
overtook the five-time Tour de France winner, Jacques
Letort, who was wearing the yellow jersey, was rel-
Anquetil,[16] who for 15 years had been the world’s best
egated by more than seven minutes.[20]
time-triallist. Merckx won Milan – San Remo, the Ronde
van Vlaanderen and Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
During the 1969 Giro d’Italia, he was found to have
used drugs and was disqualified[6] (See below – Doping).
Tour de France
Christian Raymond was a rider in the Peugeot team in
1969. When he explained to his 12-year-old daughter how
the race had gone, she said:
"That Belgian, he doesn’t even leave you the crumbs... he’s a
cannibal."
cannibal
Velodrome Eddy Merckx at Mourenx. Named in his honour in
The nickname stuck. 1999.
Christian Raymond, Geoffrey Nicholson[17] Bill Strick-
land[18][19] Merckx won the 17th stage, over four cols from Lu-
1969 Tour de France chon to Mourenx[n 3] by eight minutes after riding alone
for 140 km.[11] He climbed the col du Tourmalet in a small
The 1969 Tour de France was the first which Merckx
group including Roger Pingeon and Raymond Poulidor,
won,[11] even though he was almost deprived of it by
having dropped Felice Gimondi. On the final bend to the
a doctor in Lille who found abnormalities in his heart
summit, Merckx attacked and opened a few seconds. By
rhythm.[20] Merckx was cleared to start after medical col-
the foot of the col d’Aubisque he had more than a minute
leagues said the hearts of endurance athletes were often
and by the top eight minutes. He maintained the pace
unusual.
for the remaining 70 km to Mourenx, an industrial town
The French historian Jean-Paul Ollivier said:
near Pau. Antoine Blondin wrote of la planète Merckx [21]
Merckx.
In L’Équipe Jacques Goddet wrote simply
"Faema had become practically a Belgian team
through its riders. The crafty Guillaume Driessens “ Merckxissimo [21] ”
Merckxissimo.
had become directeur sportif and performed a psy-
chological exercise of the highest importance, not He won the general classification (yellow jersey), points
hiding from anyone that he intended to construct a classification (green jersey) and the mountains classifica-
monolithic block: everyone for Merckx.",[16] tion. No other rider has achieved this triple in the Tour
de France, and only Tony Rominger and Laurent Jalabert
Faema drew number one in the draw for places in the have matched it in any grand tour[n 4] Merckx also won
opening prologue, a time-trial over 10.4 km at Roubaix. the combination classification and the combativity
Driessens chose Merckx, a decision which surprised be- award. Merckx led the race from stage six to twenty-two.
cause the first rider has no other performances by which His 17 minute 54 second margin of victory over second-
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
placed Roger Pingeon has never been matched since. It taking the yellow jersey. Three days later, Ocaña attacked
was the first time a Belgian had won the Tour since when the race reached the Alps. By Orcières-Merlette he
Sylvère Maes 30 years earlier, and Merckx became a na- had taken 8m 41s out of the Belgian. By then resentment
tional hero. had built at the way Merckx was winning everything.[26]
Absolutely triumphant, Eddy Merckx entered Paris in im- Chany wrote that
perial dominance [achèvement], admired but wrapped in
a curious and somehow indefinable halo of genius. It is There was a feeling that it would be good for cy-
hard to hold back from eulogising a champion of this ex- cling if he lost.[27]
ceptional quality, possessing all the gifts of his speciality,
straightforward and above all a rider who commits him- The title on the front page of Paris-Match was: "Is Merckx
self to the race [surtout un coureur de responsabilité], reach- going to kill the Tour?" A rider at the Grand Prix du Midi
ing all his objectives through his own personal attacking. Libre was quoted as saying: "When you know how much
Jacques Goddet, 1970[22] Merckx is earning, you sometimes lose the will to make
an effort if you’re paid in loose change [rabais]."[27] The
1970 Tour de France resentment left Merckx to chase Ocaña without help. One
In the 1970 Tour de France, Merckx took the yellow jer- rider, Celestino Vercelli, said:
sey in the prologue, thrashing his bike. Jean-Paul Ollivier
said: Merckx never let anybody break away. But that
day... we don’t know.... The start was on an upgrade
"At the peak of effort he looks on his bike as though and he wasn’t that brilliant in the beginning.
he is fighting an imaginary enemy. He is a pedaller Maybe he was still warming up and his adversaries,
of violence, but the violence is carefully directed, Luis Ocaña, Joaquim Agostinho, Joop Zoetemelk,
balanced, transformed into efficient energy. He al- noticed that and decided to break away immediate-
ready sees himself [est déjà entré dans la peau de] ly. It cost him dearly because the stage was long
the winner of the Tour."[21] and very hard and there were four or five climbs.
He took it badly, because it had never happened to
As the previous year he let the yellow jersey pass to a him to be behind and lose so much time. Usually he
teammate, this time Italo Zilioli, taking it back after sev- was the one who was nine minutes in front the oth-
en stages at Valenciennes. He won the prologue, in road ers![28]
stages, the final time trial and on Mont Ventoux. There
he pushed himself so hard that he collapsed while talk- A rest day followed and then a stage from Orcières-Mer-
ing to journalists, saying "No, it’s impossible!"[23] He was lette to Marseille. It started with 20 km downhill, fol-
carried to an ambulance for oxygen.[11] His eight stages lowed by 280 km along a valley. Merckx and his team at-
equalled the record set in 1930 by Charles Pélissier.[24] He tacked from the start, led by Rini Wagtmans, immediate-
won the mountains classification and finished second in ly gaining several minutes. But the speed downhill and
the sprinter’s classification. He won by 12m 41s over Joop the heavier braking needed for bends led rims to over-
Zoetemelk. heat, melting the glue that held tyres to the rim. It hap-
pened to several riders and Merckx lost some of his team-
1971 Tour de France mates as a result.[28] Vercelli said:
Merckx chose a different preparation for his third Tour
de France in 1971. In order to arrive fresher and as well to Merckx needed to recover the nine minutes he lost
be in better condition in the autumn, Merckx choose not and he meant to do so by arriving in the valley with
to defend his title at the Tour of Italy and instead rode several minutes’ lead with a good group of about
two week long stage races, the Critérium du Dauphiné eight riders. This way it would have been very diffi-
Libéré and the Grand Prix du Midi Libre, both of which cult for the rest of the peloton behind to catch them
he won the first stage and held on to the lead of both in the 280km of the valley. In the 280 km of flat road
races until the end. Merckx arrived at the start of the he personally pulled the group for 250 km on his
Tour which began that year in Mulhouse to the pre-Tour own! And of course the peloton behind him went
hype which was summed up by former winner Jacques very fast. There were all Merckx’s adversaries and
Anquetil who, speaking on French television program Les they were all interested in catching him. They all
Dossiers de l’Ecran the day before the race began, said he worked together for that. It was basically Merckx
wished that Merckx would be defeated.[25] The only rider alone against all the others.[28]
of the period to shake Merckx was the Spaniard, Luis
Merckx got to Marseille half an hour faster than the
Ocaña, who lived near Mont-de-Marsan in south-west
fastest expected time. The entire Kas team finished out-
France. Ocaña cared little for Merckx’s reputation and at-
side the time limit but were reinstated.[29] Only 1,000
tacked him on the Puy-de-Dôme, dropping him but not
5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
spectators were at the finish early enough. Among those he’s dropped out twice. With a record like that
too late was the mayor of the city, Gaston Deferre,[n 5] he should keep his voice down."[32]
who decided to see the finish at the last moment but ar-
rived after the riders had left for the showers and the of- Merckx won the prologue at Angers but lost the yellow
ficials for their hotels. He forbade the Tour to return to jersey when Cyrille Guimard won the following day at St-
the city for the rest of his career.[26] It next stopped in Brieuc. Guimard held the lead for seven stages, despite
Marseille in 1989, three years after his death. growing knee pain. Merckx won the stage at Luchon on
Despite a stage that averaged 45.4 km/h, Merckx cut day eight and with it the lead. He kept the yellow jersey
Ocaña’s lead only to 7m 32s. He waited for the Pyrenees. to the end, winning the sprint competition and coming
There, on the col de Mente, hail and rain flooded the second to Van Impe in the mountains. The battle with
road. Pierre Chany said: Ocaña fizzled out when the Spaniard crashed in the Pyre-
nees again,[31] falling on the Aubisque, and dropping out
... [Merckx] attacked in a rage several times, out
with a lung infection on the 15th day.[33]
of the saddle and bent over his bars, Ocaña in his
With four wins, Merckx was approaching Jacques An-
wake. He multiplied the attacks, changed from one
quetil’s record of five, and the French public was becom-
side of the road to the other ceaselessly to get Ocaña
ing hostile. He had already been whistled at the finish
off his wheel, but in vain.[29]
in Vincennes after winning in 1970.[22] For that reason,
Unable to shake off Ocaña on the way up, Merckx tried to the Tour organisers asked Merckx not to start in 1973;
do so on the way down. The storm broke at the summit. instead he won the Vuelta a España, where he beat Luis
Pierre Chany said: Ocaña and Bernard Thévenet, and he won the Giro.
... worse than a storm, ... a cataclysm. ... "hail fell,
1974 Tour de France
visibility was zero, brakes no longer worked; riders I was in form in the Tour, but I had to cope with [the
were taking the descent with their feet on the road ’terrible’ consequences of] an operation that I had before
to slow them."[29] the start. The wound hadn’t had time to heal properly. I
finished the prologue with blood in my shorts, and I suf-
Merckx missed a bend, hit a low wall and fell. He got fered like a martyr these three last weeks. Without say-
up straight away but two spectators had gone to help ing anything. Above all in the mountains where, to lessen
him. Ocaña ran into them, crashed heavily and was hit by the pain, I tried to climb out of the saddle, which cost me
Zoetemelk and then two other riders who had been fol- a lot more energy. That’s why I was so ill at ease on the
lowing by a few seconds. Merckx who was descending the Mont du Chat. I was trying to find the least uncomfort-
mountain fell a further two times before hearing what able position, whereas Poulidor was superb.
had happened behind him.[25] Ocaña’s fall had taken him Eddy Merckx,[34]
out of the race and gave the yellow jersey to Merckx, al- By 1974, "the wear and tear was beginning to show," Mer-
though he declined to wear it next morning in respect ckx acknowledged.[35] Yet he still won the Giro, the Tour
for the Spaniard.[26][30] Merckx won the Tour by 9m 51s de Suisse and the Tour de France, including its closing
over Zoetemelk and 11m 6s over Lucien Van Impe. After stage in Paris, within eight weeks. Far from challenging
the Tour, the Belgian Cycling Federation named the team Merckx, Ocaña rode the Vuelta with bronchitis, started
for the world championships and despite his wish to have the Midi-Libre but dropped out, then broke a bone in the
several trade teammates on the team, Merckx would only Tour de ’Aude. His sponsor, the pen and lighter company,
have one trade teammate. In response, Merckx re- Bic, fired him.[36][n 6]
arranged his post-Tour schedule and trained with com- The novelty of the Tour was its first excursion to
plete resolution to win. On a challenging circuit in Men- England, for a criterium up and down an unopened by-
drisio, Switzerland Merckx attacked several times and pass near Plymouth. By the ninth stage, the race looked
broke away with Felice Gimondi who he beat in the sprint over. Patrick Sercu had the sprinters’ jersey after win-
to take his second rainbow jersey.[25] ning three stages, and Merckx was in yellow. The Dutch-
man, Gerben Karstens, challenged both by collecting re-
1972 Tour de France peated bonuses in the intermediate sprints each day but
In 1972, there was anticipation of a rematch between lost his chance in a war of words as well as wheels[37]
Merckx and Ocaña.[31] The Spaniard insisted that Merckx when Sercu and Merckx joined forces as rivals against a
would never have won but for the crash. Merckx replied: common enemy. The race then settled in to ride round
“ "Ocaña talks too much. I’ve won the Tour ” France in a heatwave. And then, said Chany, came a re-
three times. He’s never taken the yellow jer- markable attack on the Mont du Chat, above Lac du Bour-
sey to Paris. I’ve done the sums: in three rides, get.
6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
Gonzalo Aja[n 7] had broken away on this very mod- in the past) with as much force as he probably could
est second-category climb and Jos Bruyère and from launching the punch from a hip position. Most of
Merckx were at the front of the rest of the race as the force was pushed away as the man’s arm was thrown
it rode slowly towards the summit, when Louis Ca- back from the momentum of the movement of Merckx up
put drove up through the group with a blast on the hill. Merckx grabbed his side for a second. But, a sec-
his klaxon. He drew Poulidor’s attention and ges- ond later, he had both hands back on the handlebar and
tured to him to attack. Imagine the surprise to see was moving at the same speed as he was before the spec-
the Limousin, almost 40 years old, obey instantly. tator hit him. The image of the spectator is very clear in
He attacked and, just as surprising, Merckx stayed the film and it is not known whether or not he was iden-
where he was. The crowd couldn’t believe their tified and charged with assault on Merckx that day. The
eyes, seeing Poulidor riding past them a hundred exhausted Merckx couldn’t close the gap. But, he did hold
metres ahead of the maillot jaune. The contrast of on to finish third, 34 seconds behind Thevenet who was
styles showed the contrast of their powers. The Li- second and, Van Impe who was first. But, the Frenchman
mousin took the climb as much out of the saddle as had landed a fatal blow that cut into the overall lead and
in it, his cap askew, without weakening. The Bel- trailed Merckx by only 58 seconds as the Tour headed in-
gian was back-bent on his bicycle, sweat trickling to the Alps .
down his face, pushing heavily on the pedals, los- After a rest day in Nice, the Tour continued with a
ing time and showing his new limits in the moun- 5-climb stage. On the Col des Champs, the third climb
tains.[38] of the day, Thevenet repeatedly attacked in an effort to
crack the race leader. Gamely Merckx was able to cov-
Poulidor’s tentative attack didn’t succeed and next day er all of Thevenet’s moves and launched an attack of his
he lost five minutes. But he twice more bettered Merckx own on the descent. Thevenet managed to catch Merckx
in the Pyrenees, at St-Lary and on the Tourmalet. Merckx in the valley just before the Col d’Allos. The always-ag-
won the Tour 8m 4s ahead of Poulidor and a further three gressive Merckx, searching for weakness, attacked again
in front of Vicente Lopez-Carril. It left journalists divided on the Allos. Over the top with a lead, he plunges down
about whether they had seen a remarkable comeback by the descent. On the narrow bumpy road, Merckx took all
Poulidor or the first signs of vulnerability in Merckx.[39] the risks necessary to gain time. He sailed through the
Michel Pollentier, "at the price of unbelievable contor- bottom of the descent with over a minute lead on the
tions [on his bike]",[36] beat Merckx by 10 seconds in the Thevenet led chasers. The Cannibal now sets his sights on
time trial at Orléans just before Paris. the final climb to the top of Pra Loup. He had a 2-minute
Victory gave Merckx five wins in the Tour, equalling lead on the chasers as the road turned upward.
Anquetil. Over the next 25 years, only Bernard Hinault Merckx was 6 km from putting the race out of reach.
and Miguel Indurain were able to equal him. Then Lance However, the long breakaway effort had taken its toll and
Armstrong won the Tour a sixth (2004) and a seventh Merckx begins to slow. Gimondi was the first to catch the
(2005) time. leader, then Thevenet, then Van Impe and Zoetemelk.
The Frenchman sensed a weakness and sprinted by the
1975 Tour de France tired race leader. Thevenet took the stage win by 1’58”
Merckx’s domination in the grands tours ended in 1975. over Merckx and gained the race lead.
The race started well – he held the yellow jersey for eight Inspired by the Maillot Jaune, Thevenet attacked on
days, raising his total to 96 – but ended in disappoint- the next stage and rode away from the Merckx group on
ment. the classic climb of the Col d’Izoard. He rode alone to win
The finishing climb on the Puy de Dome (12 km, 7% his second stage in a row. Thevenet’s win and time gain
gradient) was the beginning of the end for Merckx. The widen the gap to the now second placed Merckx to 3’20”.
legendary giant of the Massif Central has provided the There was still one climbing stage remaining in the Alps
Tour with great drama over the years. This year’s battle and Merckx need time gains.
will write another chapter in Tour history. Just over 4 Eddy Merckx has one intention at the start of stage 17
kilometers up the finishing climb, Thevenet charged off in Valloire, get back the Maillot Jaune. Merckx launched
the front with Van Impe in tow. The two slowly pulled an all-out attack from the starting line, 225 km from the
away from Merckx and Zoetemelk. The race leader, try- finish at the top of the Col d’Avoriaz. Misfortune struck
ing to limit his time loss, was forced to do all the work early when Merckx slid and crashed heavily. Although in-
in pursuit of the breakaway. As Merckx tried to close the jured, he quickly remounted his bicycle and continued
gap near the top of the climb he was punched by a spec- the race. His injuries include a bruised hip and knee,
tator. Review of French TV film shows the man stand- as well as a broken jaw, but he continued to ride hard.
ing along side the road with his hands at his side. As Although struggling to breathe, he refused treatment. By
Merckx passes him the man punches him in the lower the end of the stage, the injured Cannibal finished third,
right abdomen (not a kidney punch as has been claimed
7
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
2 second ahead of Thevenet. The “never say die” Belgian The 1977 Tour was one too many for Merckx.[40] He suf-
was fighting all adversities to the end. fered on the col de la Madeleine and lost 13 seconds to
Gamely Merckx gained another 15 seconds on the fi- Hennie Kuiper on Alpe d’Huez. Didi Thurau, a 22-year-old
nal ITT in Chatel, but the finish in Paris was only four German, beat him in the Pyrenees and bettered him by 50
flat stages away. When the Tour reached the final stage, seconds in the time trial. With Géminiani, his manager in
Thevenet had an insurmountable 2’47” lead on Merckx the Fiat team, he had agreed to ride a light start to the
and cruised down the Champs Elysees for his first Tour de season with the aim of a sixth win.[42] But having been
France victory. Gracious in defeat the second placed Mer- outridden by both Thurau and Thévenet, he fell ill. Chany
ckx said, “I tried everything and it didn’t work. It’s always wrote:
the strongest that wins, and the strongest is Thevenet.”
The winner returned the compliment saying, “Tell me In the Alps, Dietrich Thurau paid the bill for his
who was second to you and I will tell you the value of inexperience and his incapacity above 1,500m al-
your victory.” titude. He lost the yellow jersey, which passed to
He said riding the 1975 Tour did not in itself shorten Thévenet, in the climb to Avoriaz, where Zoetemelk
his career, but... pulled off a highly athletic performance. Tenth at
“ ...the fact that I continued in the 1975 Tour de ” two minutes to the Dutchman, Eddy Merckx was
France after I crashed definitely did shorten it. suffering a little. Forty-eight hours later, between
My build-up to that race had already been Chamonix and the Alpe d’Huez, the Belgian, ill but
problematical, and actually I wasn’t in the best determined to defend his reputation, suffered a
of health when I started it. But after the crash, very long Calvary and finished in a highly pro-
in which I fractured my cheekbone, I suffered nounced fatigue, a quarter of an hour behind the
like you cannot imagine possible. I could not leaders.[43]
take in anything but liquids. I had to race on
By St-Étienne, Merckx had risen to sixth place and began
empty. I had to continue for the sake of the
talking of riding the Tour again in 1978, "stupifying those
race, for honour and for my teammates. They
who heard him and splitting his team," according to
depended on my prize money. Remember that
Chany. The 1977 Tour collapsed into a doping scandal
I still finished second. What I should have
when Zoetemelk was found guilty. Rumours abounded
done, looking back, was pay my riders what I
about others. Thévenet won for the second time and four
would have earned out of my own pocket and
months later said he had succeeded by taking corti-
left the race. Then maybe with my strength
sone.[44] Merckx finished sixth, 12m 38s behind. He never
rebuilt I could have been competitive in
did ride in 1978, the year which produced the first victory
1976.[4]
by Bernard Hinault, the next to win the Tour de France
five times.
1976 Tour de France
Giro d’Italia
Merckx began 1976 by winning his seventh Milan – San
Remo[40] but missed winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen Merckx won the Giro d’Italia in 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973 and
after falling on the Koppenberg and walking to the top 1974. Following his 1968 win, he said he knew he could
because it was too steep to get back in the saddle.[40] A win the Tour de France. He won 24 Giro stages in his ca-
saddle sore still troubled him and his doctor told him not reer. His final victory came in a battle with the Italians
to ride the Tour.[41] Gianbattista Baronchelli, who he beat by 12 seconds, and
Felice Gimondi, who lost by 33 seconds.[45]
1977 Tour de France
"It was no different until the [1977] season got into full
swing. I prepared well and actually won my first big race,
the Tour of the Mediterranean, but as soon as more rac-
ing came along my body failed. I kept catching colds and
other minor illnesses, where before I rarely did. I started
to get little niggling strains and injuries too. Still, I was
sixth in the Tour de France that year, and won 17 races.
Wouldn’t Belgium like to have someone who could finish
sixth in the Tour now?
But deep down I knew it was gone."
Eddy Merckx[4]
Merckx at the 1974 world road championship in Montreal
8
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
World championship 1974
Merckx also won the world championship in 1974 for the
third time, which only Alfredo Binda and Rik van Steen-
bergen had done before him, and only Óscar Freire would
do after him. Because of his victories in the three most
important races of the year, the 1974 Tour de France, the
1974 Giro d’Italia and the 1974 world championship, Mer-
ckx won the Triple Crown of Cycling. Since then, only
Stephen Roche has been able to do that, in 1987.
Classics victories
Merckx had an impressive list of victories in one-day
races, the Classic cycle races, (See Significant victories by
race). Among highlights are a record seven victories in The bicycle Merckx used during his hour speed record attempt.
Milan – San Remo (absolute record in one classic), two in On display at the Eddy Merckx metro station on the Brussels
the Ronde van Vlaanderen, three in Paris–Roubaix, five Metro.
in Liège–Bastogne–Liège (record), and two in the Giro di
Lombardia, a total of 19 victories. He also won the world Giogi Albani, who had the job of standing where
road championship a record three times in 1967, 1971 Merckx actually was when the bell was rung, had
and 1974, and most of the major classic races, a notable a hard time keeping up! Merckx’s first kilometer
exception being Paris–Tours. passed in 1m 10s and five kilometres in 5m 55.7. Al-
The only rider to have won all the classics is Rik van ready Eddy was 14 seconds up on Ole Ritter’s record
Looy, Merckx having missed Paris–Tours. A lesser Belgi- to this point. Onlookers couldn’t believe their eyes.
an rider, Noël van Tyghem, won Paris–Tours in 1972[46] A second five kilometres in 5m 58s obliterated Rit-
and said: ter’s 10 km time by five seconds. Ritter’s 20 km time
“ Between us, I and Eddy Merckx have won ” was eclipsed by 11 seconds. And remember, Ritter
every classic that can be won. I won had set his records on a special ride separate from
Paris–Tours, Merckx won all the rest.[47] his hour attempt. Compared to Ritter’s hour pace,
Merckx was 35s ahead at 20 km. Albani urged Mer-
Merckx also won 17 six-day track races, often with Patrick ckx to slow a bit, and he did, dropping to a 6m 7s
Sercu. per 5 km pace for the next seven five-kilometre seg-
ments. Around 35 km Merckx showed signs of be-
Win rate ing human. He fidgeted on his seat and the grimace
on his face revealed the superhuman effort he was
In his best year, Merckx won almost every other race he
making. There was never a question of his taking
rode. Merckx won the equivalent of a race a week for six
the record; the only question was by how much. Far
years.[47] This table shows his strike rate of wins as a per-
from fading, his last two kilometres were reeled off
centage of races undertaken.
in 1m 13s and 1m 12s. Still, he could barely speak
• : 13% • : 33% • : 37% • : 14% when he first dismounted. Pictures of the moment
• : 21% • : 37% • : 27% • : 0% show his face a mask of pain. It wasn’t long, though,
• : 23% • : 45% • : 25% before Eddy regained his normal composure and
• : 24% • : 39% • : 13% was able to answer questions.[48]
Merckx said:
Hour record “ But for the back injury, yes I would have done ”
Merckx set the hour record in 1972. On 25 October, after many more metres. Regarding specialised
he had raced a full road season winning the Tour, Giro training, I did all that I could. I consulted
and four classics, Merckx covered 49.431 km at high alti- sports doctors, who had experience with sport
tude in Mexico City. The American writer, Owen Mulhol- at altitude, because I did my record in Mexico
land, wrote: City. I trained on the home trainer with an
oxygen mask, breathing the same mixture of
At 8:56 exactly, Eddy Merckx began his great ride. air that I would find at altitude. I also used all
A bell was sounded each lap. If he were on schedule of the best equipment that was available to
he should be crossing the start line as it sounded. me. Speaking as a bike enthusiast I would have
After the first two laps Eddy was a quarter lap up!
9
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
liked to have had a go on the equipment they was lucky in a way in that I could have been
used for the record in later years, though. Also killed, but the problem that crash gave me
I would have gone further on a modern indoor was the damage it did to my back. What hap-
track. In Mexico it was outdoors, where the pened was that my hips were knocked out of
wind is always a problem. You wait for the line with my body. It meant that my legs were
best conditions, but in the end you have to also out of line with the rest of my body. After
take what there is.[4] that day I could never sit comfortably on my
bike again. I tinkered with my position and
The record remained untouched until 1984, when changed my frame angles. I would keep many
Francesco Moser broke it using a specially designed bicy- bikes, all subtly different, all ready to race on,
cle and meticulous improvements in streamlining. Over but I never found comfort. Before Blois I can-
15 years, various racers improved the record to more not say that I suffered in a bike race. The Tour
than 56 km. However, because of the increasingly exotic de France even. I just pressed on the pedals
design of the bikes and position of the rider, these perfor- when I wanted to, that was all I had to do.
mances were no longer reasonably comparable to Mer- After the crash it was never the same. The
ckx’s achievement. In response, the UCI in 2000 required pain changed from day to day, some days I
a "traditional" bike to be used. When time trial specialist would weep on my bike, on others it was OK.
Chris Boardman, who had retired from road racing and One time, towards the end of my career, it was
had prepared himself specifically for beating the record, so bad that I was riding up the Alsemberg hill
had another go at Merckx’s distance 28 years later, he in Brussels, and I wondered if I was going to
beat it by slightly more than 10 meters (at sea level). get to the top. I thought that I might have to
get off and walk, and it isn’t a very steep or a
Records very long hill. My back became my weakness.
It still affects me today. I cannot jog to keep fit
The other records Merckx set:
because of my back.[4]
• Most career victories by a professional cyclist: 525.
• Most victories in one season: 54.
• Most stage victories in the Tour de France: 34.
• Most stage victories in one Tour de France: 8, in 1970 Doping
and 1974 (shared with Charles Pélissier in 1930 and
Freddy Maertens in 1976). Merckx has condemned doping but he tested positive
• Most days with the yellow jersey in the Tour de three times.[5] The first time was in the 1969 Giro
France: 96. d’Italia[6] where he tested positive for the stimulant Re-
• The only cyclist to have won the general activan at Savona, after leading the race through 16
classification, points classification and mountains stages. He was expelled from the Giro. The controversy
classification in the same Tour de France (1969). began to swirl when his test results were not handled
• Most victories in classics: 28. in the correct manner, they were released to the press
• Most victories in one single classic: 7 (in Milan – San before all parties (Merckx and team officials) involved
Remo). were notified.[49] Merckx was very upset, and to this day,
• Most Grand Tour Victories 11 protests his innocence.[6] He argued there were no
counter-experts nor counter-analysis. He said the stage
during which he was allegedly using drugs was easy so
Track crash there was no need. He said:
In 1969 Merckx crashed in a derny race in Blois towards “ At the time, the controls weren’t reliable and I ”
the end of the season. A pacer and a cyclist fell in front of wasn’t able to defend myself. They had started
Merckx’s pacer, Fernand Wambst. Wambst died instant- on the analysis and the counter-analysis dur-
ly, and Merckx was knocked unconscious. He cracked a ing the night, without anyone from my team’s
vertebra and twisted his pelvis. He said his riding was being present. They had, they said, tried to get
never the same after the injuries.[6] He frequently adjust- my manager, Vincenzo Giacotto, by phone,
ed his saddle while riding – including coming down the but he hadn’t left his room all evening. The
col de la Faucille on the way to Divonne-les-Bains – and following morning, I was in my racing clothes,
was often in pain, especially while climbing. He said: ready to leave, when they came to tell me I
“ The crash in Blois was terrible for me. From ” was positive and therefore excluded from the
that day cycling became suffering. I had Giro.[6]
stitches in my head and was scraped and
bruised all over, but those injuries healed. I "I’ve never seen sporting opinion so inflamed," wrote
10
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
Marcel De Leener from Belgium. "Even members of par- and caught three of the biggest names in Belgium: Mer-
liament have got themselves involved in the affair; the ckx, Freddy Maertens and Michel Pollentier.[53]
Opposition has questioned the minister of public health Because of his doping record, the organisers of the
in the Lower Chamber, the Cabinet is in an uproar, the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart asked Merckx to
Foreign Minister has questioned his opposite number in stay away. The decision was criticized in the press and by
Italy. In the streets, in factories, in offices, in public trans- the UCI.[54] When he confirms his stance against doping,
port, they talk of little else."[50] The Italian federation Merckx points out that cycling is unfairly treated com-
stuck by its findings but the Belgians refused to agree pared to other sports.
and it took four hours of debate in Brussels for the pro- In the 1990s, he became a friend of Lance Armstrong
fessional section of the Union Cycliste Internationale to and supported him when he was accused of drug use,
quash his sentence. The president of the Fédération In- stating he rather "believed what Lance told him than
ternationale du Cyclisme Professional was Félix Lévitan, what appeared in newspapers".
organiser of the Tour de France. It was diplomacy and,
"let us be frank, hypocrisy too", reported Cycling.[51] The
hearing praised the Italians and accepted their evidence;
Retirement
however, Merckx was cleared to ride the Tour. De Leener
said:
If on the one hand they have recognised the skill
and competence of the doctors in charge of the con-
trols in the Giro, they also took into account the fact
that Eddy Merckx had never been found guilty of
this before. In other words, they judged the affair
sentimentally, with their hearts, instead of consid-
ering all the dry facts. If this were not Merckx,
would all these artifices have been resorted to? No,
without any shadow of doubt, no."[51]
Prince Albert of Belgium sent a plane to bring him to Bel-
The Eddy Merckx bicycle factory in Meise.
gium.
Merckx was also found positive after winning the
Merckx’s last victory was a criterium at Kluisbergen on
Giro di Lombardia in 1973.[6] He had taken Mucantil (Io-
17 July 1977. His last race was the Omloop van het
dinated glycerol).[52] He said in 2007 that he wanted the
Waasland, at Kemzeke on 19 March 1978. He finished
Union Cycliste Internationale to give him back his victo-
12th. He had already abandoned the Omloop Het Volk,
ry. He said:
exhausted. His sponsor, the clothing chain, C&A, had sup-
“ "I was disqualified for taking a syrup which ” ported his team only after long and difficult negotia-
had been taken off the list of forbidden prod- tions[55] and did not intend to continue next season. Mer-
ucts.[n 8] ckx told his soigneur, Pierrot De Wit, during their jour-
“ It was Dr Cavalli, of Molteni, who prescribed it ” ney home that he had ridden his last race. De Wit argued
to me a bit lightly [un peu légèrement]. And he but Merckx announced his decision at a press conference
admitted his error publicly. Looking back, I in Brussels on 18 May 1978. Merckx said:
can’t see why they could disqualify me for
I am living the most difficult day of my life. I
“ ”
such a ridiculous and inoffensive product as
can no longer prepare myself for the Tour de
norephedrine."[6] France, which I wanted to ride for a final time
as a farewell [apothéose]. After consulting my
doctors, phenylpropanolamine,
The World Anti-Doping Agency removed norephedrine, I’ve decided to stop racing.[55] from the list of b
Then he was caught after taking Stimul in the 1975 Flèche
Having retired, Merckx has a bicycle factory[56] which
Wallonne. Merckx said:
carries his name. He said:
“ "That, I can’t deny. I was positive along with ”
“ I am certain that the bicycle will once more ”
around 15 others. I was wrong to trust a doc-
fill a social role and again become a means of
tor."[6]
transport and not just an object of leisure.
Once cars had chased it out of towns and, for
In 1977 the Belgian doctor, Professor Michel Debackere, several years, the concern of our leaders was
perfected a test for pémoline, an amphetamine-like drug,
11
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
to make it easier to drive cars by enlarging In 1996 Albert II of Belgium King of the Belgians, gave
roads and leaving space for nobody else. Now him the title of baron.[5] In 2000 he was chosen Belgian
they’re in the process of undoing all that and, "Sports Figure of the Century". In March 2000 he was re-
even if the change varies from country to ceived by the Pope in the Vatican.[35]
country, I can see that there is a whole new Merckx is known as a quiet and modest person. Three
way of political thinking. In Germany, Belgium of his former riders have worked in his bicycle factory
and the countries of the north, the changes and join him during recreational bike tours.[4] When he
are already visible. In the Latin countries it’s finished third behind Father Damien and Paul Janssen
an idea that’s making progress.[57] in the Greatest Belgian contest, after being one of the
favourites, he said that
Merckx is a race commentator on RTBF television.[5] He “ "...[I] would have been outright ashamed to ”
was coach of the Belgian national cycling team during have ended up in front of [Father]
the mid-90s, and part of the Belgian Olympic Committee. Damien."[60]
Merckx is still asked to comment as an authority. As such, Merckx has become an ambassador for the foundation,
he was advisor for the Tour of Qatar in 2002. He lives in named after the Catholic priest, which battles leprosy
Meise, Vlaams-Brabant. and other diseases in development countries.
Merckx is an art lover. He said:
Grand Tours and World Cham- "I love fine art. My favourite artist is René
“ ”
Magritte; he is a Belgian surrealist. I once
pionship owned a Miró, which was stolen. Salvador Dali
is another favourite of mine. I find that kind of
Grand Tour 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
art fascinating and very thought-provok-
Giro d’Italia - 9 1 Exp. 1 - 1 1
1 ing."[4] - 8 -
Tour de - - - 1 1 1 1 - 1 2 - 6
France In May 2004, he had an esophagus operation to cure
Vuelta a Es- - - - - - - - stomach-ache suffered since he was young. He lost almost
1 - - -
paña 30 kg and took up recreational cycling again.
World Cham- 12 1 8 Ab. 29 1 4 4 1 8 5 33
pionship Cultural references
-: did not participate Merckx was celebrated in many ways, including records
Exp.: disqualified by doping called Eddy is de Kampioen by De Zanger Zonder Naam,[61]
Eddy Neemt de Gele Trui[62] by Frankie, and Eddy Merckx by
Personal life Cyriel[2][63]
• When the United States Secretary of State
In December 1967 Merckx married Claudine Acou, a Condoleezza Rice visited Belgium in 2005, she met
21-year-old teacher, daughter of Lucien Acou, trainer of Merckx as a cultural representative of Belgium.[64]
the national amateur team.[58][59] The couple married at • The Eddy Merckx metro station on the Brussels
the town hall in Anderlecht, a suburb of Brussels. The metro is named in his honour.[5] It is on the western
mayor said: "Sometimes I am envious of cycling cham- branch of line 5. It was opened on 15 September
pions. When they win, there is always a pretty girl to 2003. The bike on which he broke the hour record is
give them a kiss. For my part, no one kisses me when I displayed there.
have a good win, so I’m going to profit from this occasion • In the comic strip Asterix, Merckx has a cameo as a
by kissing the bride now."[58] The witnesses to the mar- "fast runner" in the album Asterix in Belgium.
riage were Merckx’s manager, Jean van Buggenhout, and • In 2000, the Belgian magazine Knack declared him
a cabinet-maker from Etterbeek, who taught Merckx to Belgian of the Century and, four years later, the
ride a bike. The religious service which followed was in magazine HUMO called him the Greatest Belgian.
Merckx’s local church rather than his bride’s. Merckx’s • In the mid-seventies Merckx figured in television
mother asked the priest, Father Fabien, to celebrate the commercials for cigarettes, for which he was
ceremony in French, a choice that ended up being a con- criticized and which he now regrets.[65]
tentious issue in Belgium.[n 9] The priest said: "You are • Merckx had cameos in several movies, of which the
now started on a tandem race; believe me, it will not be 1985 film American Flyers, starring Kevin Costner, is
easy."[58] The couple have two children: a daughter (Sab- the best known.[66] He was attending the Coors
rina) and a son, Axel, who also became a professional cy- International Bicycle Classic in Colorado and fired
clist.[6] the starting pistol in the movie which was being shot
12
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
in and around the Classic. The fictional race in the [9] Brussels is a largely French-speaking enclave in the
film called Hell of the West, was based on the real Dutch-speaking, northern half of Belgium. History,
Coors Classic.[5] changes in regional prosperity and different
attitudes have long separated Belgium more than
Career accomplishments geographically. Merckx, who is bilingual, was born
in one of the few regions of Brussels in which both
Main article: List of career achievements by Eddy Merckx languages were spoken but more Dutch than
French. He then lived in one in which the
Notes languages were reversed His command of both
languages and his residence in Brussels meant both
[1] The British weekly, Cycling, had only his surname communities claimed him. Even his name confuses
in a report about the 1964 Summer Olympics the situation. Merckx, with its consonants, is a
supplied by a news agency. Needing to add a name, Dutch-sounding name. The contraction of Edouard
the magazine gambled and referred to him as to "Eddy" is a French customary nickname. Had he
"Willi Merckx." been a pure Fleming, it would probably have been
[2] In 1968 Merckx decided he was not strong enough shortened to "Ward". Merckx has always resisted
to ride both the Giro and the Tour, so declined the saying whether he feels aligned to one community
Tour. The Giro was more important to his team. more than another. He finished high in both the
Merckx has never regretted the decision, not least Flemish (3rd) and Walloon (4th) editions of the
because that year’s race – the "Tour of Health" as it Greatest Belgian contest in 2005.
was billed after the death of Tom Simpson the
previous year – turned into a slow procession
which led the organiser, Félix Lévitan, to accuse References
journalists who complained of reporting "with [1] ^ L’Equipe, Rider database, Eddie Merckx
tired eyes", after which the journalists went on [2] ^ Vélo, France, November 2000
strike. The 1968 race was ridden by national rather [3] Velonews.com (17 June 2005). "Happy Birthday,
than trade teams, which explains why Faema was Eddy!". http://velonews.com/article/8224.
less interested. Retrieved 13 June 2008.
[3] The "Eddy Merckx" velodrome at Mourenx was [4] ^ "Crazy about Belgium, Cycling Greats. Eddy
named in his honour on the 30th anniversary of his Merckx". Crazyaboutbelgium.co.uk.
first Tour de France victory in 1969. Merckx was http://www.crazyaboutbelgium.co.uk/belgium/
present for the ceremony. merckx.htm. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
[4] Tony Rominger (1993) and Laurent Jalabert (1995) [5] ^ "Eddy MERCKX : Biographie de Eddy MERCKX".
have won all 3 jerseys in the Vuelta a España Monsieur-Biographie.com. http://www.monsieur-
[5] Gaston Defferre was mayor of the city of Marseille biographie.com/celebrite/biographie/
for more than 30 years. He was repeatedly linked to eddy_merckx-10114.php. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
dubious business ventures and to the Mafia. The [6] ^ L’Équipe, France, 13 March 2007
city became Europe’s biggest drug-provider in the [7] Cycling Plus, UK, undated cutting
two decades after the war, culminating in the so- [8] ^ Vélo, France, October, 2005
called French Connection. In 1983 he managed to [9] Vélo, France, October 2005
be re-elected with fewer votes than his opponent, [10] Cycling, UK, 7 December 1989
having changed the city’s voting rules while also [11] ^ "L’Equipe, Cycling Portfolio – Eddy Merckx".
minister of the interior. L’Équipe. France. http://www.lequipe.fr/Portfolio/
[6] The Ocaña episode ended Bic’s sponsorship. The Cyclisme/PORTFOLIO_EDDY_MERCKX.html.
team wasn’t pleased that he had raced when he Retrieved 17 July 2010.
was ill, nor to read in the papers rather than hear [12] ^ Cycling, UK, 9 September 1967, p5
from Ocaña that he wouldn’t ride the Tour. On the [13] ^ Cycling, UK, 23 September 1967, p19
other hand, Ocaña had complained publicly that he [14] L’Équipe, France, 3 July 2003
had not been paid. The Baron Marcel Bich, owner [15] Thonon, Pierre (1970). Eddy Merckx du maillot arc en
of Bic, said the money had left him. When he heard ciel au maillot jaune. De Schorpioen.
that it hadn’t reached Ocaña, he dropped out of [16] ^ Ollivier, Jean-Paul (1999), Maillot Jaune, Sélection
professional cycling. See Raphaël Géminiani. du Reader’s Digest, France, ISBN 2-7098-1091-3, p14
[7] Gonzalo Aja finished fifth overall in the 1974 Tour [17] Nicholson, Geoffrey (1991), Le Tour, Hodder and
de France Stoughton, UK, ISBN 0-340-54268-3, p136
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meal illuminates one of the mysteries of Eddy [39] Augendre, Jacques (1986), Le Tour de France,
Merckx. by Bill Strickland". Panorama d’un Siècle, Société du Tour de France,
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[19] "ZeStory, Tour de France". Extranet.zestory.com. dos_merckx6.php. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
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du Reader’s Digest, France, ISBN 2-7098-1091-3, p17 [44] Chany, Pierre (1997), La Fabuleuse Histoire du Tour
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14
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
Sporting positions
Preceded by Winner of Paris–Roubaix Succeeded by
Jan Janssen 1968 Walter Godefroot
Preceded by Winner of Paris–Roubaix Succeeded by
Walter Godefroot 1970 Roger Rosiers
Preceded by Winner of Paris–Roubaix Succeeded by
Roger De Vlaeminck 1973 Roger De Vlaeminck
Records
Preceded by UCI hour record (49.431 km) Succeeded by
Ole Ritter 25 October 1972 – 27 October 2000 Chris Boardman
[59] Lucien Acou at Dutch Wikipedia Place of death
[60] "Eddy Merckx ambassador of the Father Damien
foundation", Gazet van Antwerpen, 19 January 2008
[61] "The singer with no name"; Superstar Records 101
[62] Eddy takes the yellow jersey, Monopole S.028
[63] Life Records, 10,010
[64] Glenn Kessler (15 January 2007). "Rice’s Packed
Schedule Leaves Little Room for Cultural Visits".
The Washington Post.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/on-the-plane/
rice-in-middle-east-january-2007/
rices_packed_schedule_leaves_l.html. Retrieved 25
August 2007.
[65] "Duo interview Tom Boonen – Eddy Merckx", Gazet
van Antwerpen, 3 February 2007
[66] "Internet Movie Database profile Eddy Merckx". 19
June 2007. http://imdb.com/name/nm0580472/.
Retrieved 19 June 2007.
Further reading
• Vanwalleghem, Rik (1996). Eddy Merckx: The Greatest
Cyclist of the 20th century. Boulder.
ISBN 1-88473-722-6.
• Vanwalleghem, Rik (1989). Eddy Merckx, mijn
levensverhaal : de ware selfmade man als wielrenner en als
zakenman (Dutch). Helios. ISBN 90-289-1465-X.
• Rosier, Erik (1973). Eddy Merckx (Dutch). Franco-
Suisse. OCLC 57423874.
• Cornand, Jan and Blancke, Andre (1975). Hoe Merckx
de tour verloor / wielerseizoen 1975 van A tot Z (Dutch).
Het Volk.
Persondata
Name Merckx, Eddy
Alternative names Merckx, Edouard Louis Joseph
Short description Racing cyclist
Date of birth 17 June 1945
Place of birth Tielt-Winge, Belgium
Date of death
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eddy_Merckx&oldid=466988725"
15
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Eddy Merckx
Categories:
• 1945 births
• Living people
• People from Flemish Brabant
• Barons of Belgium
• Belgian cyclists
• Belgian Tour de France stage winners
• Belgian Vuelta a España stage winners
• Cyclists at the 1964 Summer Olympics
• Cycling announcers
• Doping cases in cycling
• Belgian Giro d'Italia stage winners
• Giro d'Italia winners
• Olympic cyclists of Belgium
• Tour de France prologue winners
• Tour de France winners
• Tour de Suisse stage winners
• Track cyclists
• UCI World Champions
• Vuelta a España winners
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