Eddy Merckx: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Biography

Merckx, Baron Eddy (born June 17, 1945 in Meensel-Kiezegem, Belgium) is considered by many to be the greatest cyclist of the 20th century and is often called the Einstein of the two-wheelers or The Cannibal. Another nickname of Eddy Merckx was Le Géant, conceived by Jacques Goddet. He is the five-time champion of the two most important races in professional cycling, the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, and is one of only four cyclists to have won all three of the major Tours (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana). He won more than 485 races during his professional career. In 1996, Merckx was awarded the title of Baron in his home country of Belgium.

In his Tour de France debut in 1969, Merckx won the yellow jersey (general classification), the green jersey (best sprinter) and the red polka-dotted jersey (best climber in the mountain stages), No other cyclist has achieved this trifecta. If the young riders' white jersey (for best rider in the Tour that is under 25 years of age) had existed at that time, Merckx would have won that as well, as he had only just turned 24.

Other racers called him the Cannibal because Merckx refused to ride tactically, preferring to go flat out at all times, and wanted to win every single race he participated in. During his peak years as a racer, he is said to have cycled over 35,000 km a year. While climbing the steep, severe Mont Ventoux in 1970 to a stage win, he rode so strongly and pushed himself so hard that after he finished, oxygen was administered.

In 1975, he attempted to win his sixth Tour de France, but became a victim of violence in sports. Many Frenchmen were upset that a Belgian might beat the record of five wins set by Frenchman Jacques Anquetil. Merckx held the yellow jersey for 8 days of the race, which raised his record to 95 total days, but during stage 14 a spectator leapt from the crowd and punched him in the kidneys. He kept racing with a double fracture and took medications. The pain in combination with the medicine caused him to fall during the race. He eventually ran out of energy and lost his lead but on the last stage he showed one last sign of defiance by sprinting ahead of the peleton. He would never win the Tour de France again.

In addition to his other achievements, Merckx set the hour speed record in Mexico City in 1972; is one of the few cyclists to win Paris-Roubaix, the Hell of the North, three times; and won 17 six-day races. He retired from racing in 1978. His son Axel is currently a racer and rode in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Tour de France and won the 2000 Belgian national championships.

Despite his impressive victories, Merckx was not immune to injuries. In 1969 he crashed very badly in a derny race towards the end of the season. A pacer and a cyclist fell in front of Merckx's pacer, and caused both he and Merckx to crash. Merckx's pacer was killed instantly, and Merckx suffered a bad concussion and fell unconscious. This accident cracked a vertebrae and twisted his pelvis. He admitted in interviews that he was never able to ride bicycles the same way he used to due to the injuries. We can only guess how many more races he would have won if not for the injuries sustained from this crash.

Eddy Merckx is now a bicycle manufacturer and race commentator. He enjoys life and is rather heavier than when he was racing. When asked for his advice to younger riders who wanted to become professionals, he is reputed to have simply said, "Ride lots."

Eddy Merckx Cycles

• 5x Tour de France
• 5x Giro d'Italia
• 4x World Championship
• 7x Milan - San Remo
• 5x Liège - Bastogne - Liège
• 3x Paris - Roubaix
• 1x Vuelta a España
• 2x Ronde van België/Tour de Belgique
• 2x Giro di Lombardia
• 1x Tour de Suisse
• 17 6-day-trials

1964 World Amateur Road Race Champion 1966 Milan - San Remo Trofeo Angelo Baracchi, with Ferdi Bracke 1967 World Pro Road Race Milan - San Remo Flèche Wallone Ghent - Wevelgem Trofeo Angelo Baracchi, with Ferdi Bracke 2 stages, Giro d'Italia Critérium des As 1968 Giro d'Italia KoM, Giro d'Italia Points Competition, Giro d'Italia 4 stages, Giro d'Italia Tour of Catalonia Tour of Romandy Paris - Roubaix Tre Valli Varesine 1969 Tour de France KoM, Tour de France Points Competition, Tour de France 5 stages, Tour de France Paris - Luxembourg Milan - San Remo Tour of Flanders Liège - Bastogne - Liège Paris - Nice 4 stages, Giro d'Italia Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1970 Tour de France KoM, Tour de France 8 stages, Tour de France Giro d'Italia 3 stages, Giro d'Italia Paris - Nice Tour of Belgium Paris - Roubaix Flèche Wallone Ghent - Wevelgem Critérium des As Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1971 Tour de France Points Competition, Tour de France 4 stages, Tour de France World Pro Road Race Milan - San Remo Liège - Bastogne - Liège Tour of Lombardy Frankfurt Grand Prix Omloop Het Volk Paris - Nice Dauphiné - Libéré GP du Midi Libre Tour of Belgium Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1972 Tour de France Points Competition, Tour de France 6 stages, Tour de France Giro d'Italia 4 stages, Giro d'Italia Milan - San Remo Liège - Bastogne - Liège Tour of Lombardy Flèche Wallone Giro dell'Emilia Giro del Piemonte GP de l'Escaut Trofeo Angelo Baracchi, with Roger Swerts Hour Record - 49.431km Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1973 Giro d'Italia Points Competition, Giro d'Italia 6 stages, Giro d'Italia Vuelta a España Points Competition, Vuelta a España 6 stages, Vuelta a España Paris - Roubaix Liège - Bastogne - Liège Grand Prix des Nations Amstel Gold Race Ghent - Wevelgem Omloop Het Volk Paris - Brussels GP Fourmies Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1974 Tour de France 8 stages, Tour de France Giro d'Italia 2 stages, Giro d'Italia World Pro Road Race Tour of Switzerland Points competition, Tour of Switzerland KoM, Tour of Switzerland 3 stages, Tour of Switzerland Critérium des As Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1975 Milan - San Remo Tour of Flanders Liège - Bastogne - Liège Amstel Gold Race Catalan Week 2 stages, Tour de France 1 stage, Tour of Switzerland Super Prestige Pernod Trophy 1976 Milan - San Remo Catalan Week 1977 1 stage, Tour of Switzerland