Shook his hand a few years ago at Godeau cycles ( Godeau was his year long mechanic). Eddy Merckx is the calmest and humblest man you'll ever encounter. I still can't discern what impressed me most... Shaking the hand of a living legend or encountering the most gracious human being.
He gave an interview on the pain he faces all the time. He said if there is any morning where he's not in pain then that's only because he's dead. It was already difficult for him to turn 40 years old he said one time. Now he's almost twice that age. Dude has to be calm. His body won't let him be any other way ;))
@@bastian6173 Was that the result of that awful crash during a 6-day race in which his pacer died? He was never the same after that, but was still amazingly good.
@@stevemawer848 Idk... I only know one time he hurt his knee real bad and since then he's been in almost constant pain. I think now he is mostly dealing with the consequences of decades of racing. I think he also had some heart issues where the doctors realized his heart wall so the muscle part has thickened and become stiff. The doctors said his heart could have failed at any moment and that that has been going on for years and years. Anyway, Eddy pushed the body to the absolute limit and no matter the consequences I am sure it was worth it! He won't be forgotten anytime soon.
Axel has a 161 km./100 mile ride in Penticton, BC, every summer. About 40 kms. In there is a steep, long twisty downhill. I was with a group of guys about his age or a bit younger. Eddy, then well into his 60s, passed us outside on a sharp downhill hairpin like we were standing still - amazing bike control!
WHat most fail to realise, Eddy dropped whole pelotons Downhill as well as up! There are stories of him and Gimondi dropping everyone down, i think it was Izoard in the Tour, jumping washouts flat out, barely touching the brakes, Eddy trying to drop Felice, and Gimondi hanging on for literally grim death. It's how he beat Ocana in the Tour when Ocana had blown everyone including Eddy climbing. Eddy attacked downhill, Ocana ended up falling and had to abandon. Lets not forget his attacks Down the Poggio to ride away from the field to win Milan SanRemo! But here's what set Eddy apart, he raced the Track quite a bit, winning something like 20 Sixes. That's where you really learn bike handling!
I am a definite fan of Eddy Merckx, of course. I discovered him in 1969 (I was 11) in Paris-Roubaix where he finished second but since then I followed his career till the end in 1977 ( he just rode a few races in 1978 when he stopped ). I was impressed by his courage, his rage of winning, his "panache" and his chivalrous spirit. My greatest deception was in 1975 when he lost what should have been his 6th victory in the Tour de France, making of Merckx the absolute winner ever in this competion. He mist also a few other records, like a fourth win in the World Championship in 1973, a 4th win in Paris-Roubaix 1975 (he got a puncture 5 kms before the end and managed to catch up the group and was beated in the sprint by a great Roger De Vlaeminck) and at last he should have been the first cyclist to "break the wall" of 50 kms in an hour in Mexico. But, Merckx being Merckx, he started off too fast, willing to break the 10 and 20 kms record, using this as a loophole to reach the 50 kms. Anyway, you can't win everything of course and for many a professional cyclist it would be paramount to win even one Tour or one "monument" ! Bravissimo Eddy !
Wow! Thank you so much. What a forgotten legacy. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet and ride with Eddy when I worked in the bike industry. For a club rider, those were moments I will never forget. What a humble gentleman. I'm now 65, and every time I meet some young rider, I make sure by the end of the ride, they will know who the greatest cyclist of all time is. The cannibal.
That is not a real comparison , as in the day specialization was not common like the past decades. But what is still astounding are his 500+ victories in a good 12-13 seasons. That was 40 victories i of all kind per year in a sport where you mostly don't win.. For 12 years on average every week you 'd hear the news sentence " Eddie Merckx has won ....". Incredible ...
Eddy Merckx is truly the greatest cyclist of all time. It incredible to think about how he rode those bikes without helmets, something that would not be legal today. Modern riders wouldn't be able to survive the intense challenges that Merckx faced, as we are simply not built the same way as those legendary.
Merckx (and his kind were) was so so at best. For starters, he (and the rest) rode inferior steel bikes with inferior Campagnolo, Cinelli, 32x3X wheels, friction shifters, cage pedals, side pull brakes......, all metal. YUCK! Everything was wrong; he didn't spin. His cranks weren't 150mm. Nothing was "aero". Forget this worthless, out of it codger. Today's cyclists are the real stars.
Anyone cycling in his era, pro or amateur were in awe of this man. The media had run out of superlatives in an Endeavour to describe his race performances. Young boys, men and older men were astounded and delighted in watching him , reading about him in cycling weekly . He was and is an inspiration for life in all sorts of different ways, because of the deep respect for him as a human being. A great man and The Greatest Cyclist of all time. No one has come even close to evoking the passion and respect he generated. Simply the Best. Head and shoulders above all.🇧🇪👍🏻 Thank you Eddy Merckx.
The greatest athlete the world has ever seen. The depth and breadth of his wins in unmatched in any sport. And his legacy as a gentleman of exceptional quality remains inspiring to everyone.
@@fender1000100 Tennis? Good lord country club boy, that sport's not even close to the kind of athleticism of a pro-tour cyclist endures, especially at this level. Races can last up to 7 hours, in rain, snow or heat with thousand of meters climbing, cobblestone roads, 60kph speeds with broken bones and death just a twitch away. We're talking back to back racing for weeks on end for a season that lasted 10 months a year. Tennis is a great sport but please, don't compare the athletic expression to cycling, it's just not on the same level.
@ZyICjdUXAHCwLUDHlFk5yFVe None of the examples you listed cover the depth and range of what Eddy. It's not just about total wins, of which Eddy had over 520 professional victories in a career of 13 years. From single day races on all sorts of terrain, track events, medium stage races, climbing, sprinting to Grand Tour wins, many single day events lasting up to 8 hours etc plus the time for training, the sheer dedication of time alone is astonishing. Which one of the list you suggested had such range? We're talking about a sport which combine speed, endurance, strength, agility etc in every type of weather for a minimum of 9 months a season for 13 years. Motor car racing, chess, golf, billiards are not remotely similar in comparison.
I recall a story about a journalist who wanted to interview Eddy, as he was training for the upcoming season. He arrived at Eddy's hotel at what he thought was a reasonable time in the morning, probably around 8AM but the hotel manager said you missed him already. He found out later in the day that Eddy had done around 300 km that day, training. So, the journalist came back the next morning and the desk informed him that indeed, he had missed Eddy again, he was already out training, another 300 km plus day... That's how you become a legend, never stop pushing yourself to best as best as you can be..
@@johank1061 Synthetic EPO was not even in existence way back then, not EVEN as/for a purely experimental hardcore, purely MEDICAL treatment for anemia, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease sufferers. Now, all of the rest (blood 'doping'/packing, as done by Scandinavian cross-country skiers and distance runners at that time), the amphetamines he was accused of using, etc., I don't know.
To get an idea just how good Merckx was, when he set the World hour record in 1972, he also set the 10 and 20 km records simultaneously. His record stood for 12 years and was only beaten through the use of aerodynamic accoutrements. In 1997, the UCI banned all these aerodynamic aids and the best time under the new rules was 49.7 km, only 269 m more than Merckx.
And on an indoor track. Sheltered from wind......... Merckx' '72 record was set at the end of a FULL SEASON. Let me repeat : At the end of a FULL SEASON. (Look up his '72 season alone entries/wins. HOLA!) No months of specialized training. Mexico City (OUTDOOR track) was a last minute location, practice was only four days. Any questions......?
@@death2pc the altitude would have made oxygen more scarce even tho decreasing the wind/air friction/resistance. I would think the lack of O2 would limit the results but not clear.
Great video. Thank you. I have read Half Man Half Bike a couple times now. It is amazing read. Its hard to comprehend how dominating his performances were. Absolute legend
I remember Eddy Merckx in tears wheen he saw his son Axel take the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. Eddy never won a medal at the Olympics (albeit because professional cyclists were not allowed at the Olympics when he was around).
Eddy was actually away in a break at Tokyo when Julien Stevens took out himself Eddy and a British rider. Eddy would have won gold if not for a dopey Dutchie.
Yes, a very, very small window for the purely Brundage dictated amateur riders to win the lottery which was the Olympic Road Race way back then (unless they were one of the 'State Pros' from the Iron Curtain countries).
...or a pitiful one sentence blurb in The New York Times (NOT even in the Sports section, no less, since it was not considered a 'sport' here in the states then 😠😠).
Easy for newbies to say that mercx wouldnt beat the talent nowadays, but at the same time, the riders now would not beat mercx if they were racing in the 60s and 70s with insane long stages packed with a load of cols, shocking road conditions, heavy bikes and arduous weather conditions
I have been told this many times by retired pros. Before the start of any race with Merckx in it, professionals looked at each other and said, "You know we are all just here racing for second place."
Eddy combined all the characteristics needed to be the best, not just good in a couple of things! In those days the athletes did not earn enough money to retire, Eddy founded his factory, and offered a job at his former team mates, not just a fantastic athlete in my opinion! Revealing was the interview with Joop Zoetemelk when the journalist asked why he didn’t overtake Eddy in the sprint after ‘sucking the wheel’, and Joop replied that it was a super performance just riding right behind EM!
The greatest cyclist, no question. Probably the greatest athlete. His career would have gone on longer if it weren't for injury and burning himself out.
I've been there many times, pushing my limits to where I couldn't articulate a complete sentence. It has to do with having a peak cardio and skeletal system. However age is very real and now I listen more to my body.
@@Pipe_JL if you are in search of the truth, I would say it's based on body language. TP finishes races today in 2024 like he isn't even breathing hard on a monumental climb, beating doped records by several minutes... when you watch videos of Lemond or Merckx there is a "struggle" that any rider of any ability would believe and relate to
En todas sus entrevistas, de ahora y de antes, me parece una persona extraordinariamente humana. Tuvo que trabajar duro para tener su primera bicicleta, porque aunque sus padres poseían una pequeña tienda de ultramarinos y podían comprársela prefirieron que supiera lo que era pelear por los sueños. El Ogro solo lo era encima de la bicicleta. Todo el mundo adora, ahora, a Eddy por todo lo que ganó. Yo le adoro por como supo asimilar tanta gloria como el chico de barrio humilde que nunca dejó de ser.
If you thought you could follow him uphill, reconsider following him downhill. He had incredible bike control. There's one moment in the 1975 Tour de France (which he lost) , where he goes downhill on the attack in the high mountains and the motors and cars are too afraid to follow him.
The project of development team Aktion was one of best for young talent riders ,just look the number of riders who were in that team and today they are in some of the best teams in the world, bravo Axel Merckx !
Eddy Merckx le roi des rois sans égale pour l éternité et des siecles. Merci monsieur Eddy Merckx de m avoir fait rêver que dieu vous protège vous et votre famille.
Eddy came in 2nd in that Tour where he got punched in the ribs as the video states. You should know that bruised ribs make it painful to breathe. But also during that same race, he was rolling up to the start finish line before the start and failed to get his foot out of the toe-clip before full stopping and fell over and broke his jaw and had his jaw wired shut the rest of the race and was forced to take nutrition in a liquid no chewing form. So not only was he gifted, dedicated and smart he also was very determined!
Unless I missed it, you forgot to mention the hour record. It has been broken, but it is hard to make an apples and apples comparison of former and present records.
Agreed! Actually, it would be kind of fun if every record was connected to the gear used in it. That would mean a lot of lists to keep updated, but honestly I would love to see Ganna racing around the Velodrome on a boneshaker.
Most of today's pros (unless they were former world class pursuiters, or are the current very best TT riders) would not even think about attempting that torturous 'record of truth'. 😉
With relaxed testing and the “Code of Silence” will entrusted in all who joined the Pro ranks. It was safe to say, many raced with assistance. Just look at the insane racing calendar they raced, also stage distances were brutal.
To make it short: In my humble opinion, there are four categories in pro cycling which really count. Time Trial, Climbing, Sprint, Rouleur. Dont confuse Time Tiral with Rouleur, thats not the same. A Rouleur is a guy who can ride very fast over 100 or 200 kilometers and more without needing someone around him. Great Rouleur's are George Hincapie and Jens Voigt in their prime. Jan Ullrich was a better time trialist then Voigt, but Voigt was the better rouleur. Merckx was imo the only rider in cycling history, who had in these four categories either a 9 or 10, there is no 8 or weaker. Not Coppi, not Indurain, not Hinault, not Anquetil, not Armstrong, and not any of todays riders has this total package. And since he had either a 9 or 10 in those four major categories, he won so many races and is simply the GOAT.
Good summary! I think the time frame makes me lend that the World wars had an effect. Since people wouldn't be wanting to give birth during the war efforts which would line up almost perfectly for Eddy to not have a huge populous of cyclists birthed in those years making him easier to stand out. Another thing you forgot to mention was the hour record that he did. Which was right in the middle of his racing season whereas later on it would develop into people training specifically for that event.
I remember diving into his list of wins and notable finishes some 25 years ago when I began to take in the history of European cycling...this was in step with Armstrong’s wins at the Tour....I was already a serious young roadie at the time with maybe 5 years under my belt, and a beautiful NOS CANNONDALE 3.0 built up with Campagnolo Mirage components under my sore butt.... We cannot judge cyclings past....and that is up to and including Armstrong.....the benefits to cycling as a Worldwide sport, and a industry are immeasurable....and Competitors are born first, then shaped ....then unleashed
And I forgot to add...hearing Eddy’s accomplishments again now at the age of 47, is nothing short of incredible......and I think even Lance would find Eddy’s name falling from his mouth in answering....”who was the greatest? “
Easily the best ever. And that in a time with such strong riders he still was extremely dominant. Nothing I have ever seen (well...I never saw him actually) comes close, although Bernard Hinault comes to mind. To me Hinault is the second best rider ever. After that probably Anquetil. Might have missed someone.
@@keirbateman267 You can't compare a female with a man. Not because females are inferior but because in female racing even today the competitionis nowhere as close as in men. But she was surely amazing regardless.
There was a lot less competition in those days, the teams were also build around one leader. The sport was less global, less professional, and much lower level then it is today. If Eddy Merckx was born in this era he would be a rider like Wout van Aert at most.
Several years ago Merkx participated in a charity event in Marin County, north of San Francisco. By sheer good fortune I was standing in the area where his van stopped. Eddy got out of the passenger side, the side I was on. If he wasn’t busy I’d have tried to shake hands with him. But he WAS busy, prepping one of his factory’s gorgeous bikes, with the ride officially starting in only a few moments. What impressed me most about “The Cannibal” was how compact he was, considering he humiliated every rider of his era. I’m 5’10” and 165 lb and was very close to Eddy’s size. What that said to me was the toughest athletes are possessed by an obsessively competitive nature, and in addition the inner strength that enables the rider’s physiology to withstand the unbelievable amount of punishment it is forced to endure, year after year. While there is only one Eddy Merkx, it pleased me to learn that world beaters coming all sizes, including medium. To the 17-year-old considered too small for the football team but with a fighting spirit, I would recommend getting into bicycle racing, where the average-sized competitor has the advantage over stronger riders who weighty musculature slows them on the climbs.
Merckx is the best cyclist of all time by far. First of all he has won the most victories but he was facing amazing opponents that are also ranked among the best cyclists of all time like Thevenet, Van Impe, Zoetemelk, De Vlaeminck, ...Even Hinault, the second best rider of all-time, said that if Merckx would be riding in the 80's He would have won 10 Tour de France.
No, I see Merckx more objectively than some whose comments I read here. He doped to win, just like and ENTIRE generation of professionals who followed him. Doping is part of the professional peloton. Merckx is no cleaner or dirtier than Armstrong or ANY other doped pro cyclist. Yea, it's a bitter pill you have to deal with, not me. I don't approve of doping in sport, but I will NOT put Merckx on a pedestal.
I am built exactly like Eddy Merckx...same height, leg/arm length etc. Most would agree for a cyclist, Eddie had pretty skinny legs and wide hips. What made Eddy special is what you can't see, his plumbing. Same with Secretariat.
I suppose it’s possible that like Secretariat he has a larger heart. At autopsy it was determined that Secretariats heart was 4 pounds heavier than his biggest rival and pumping blood pretty important, no? Cheers
No; electronic shifting, fully aero road bikes/skinsuits, head units for pacing, cushy 30C tires, modern in race hydration/fueling products, etc. either!
This should be required watching for ALL pro cycling fans. There is only one GOAT and it's Merckx. No one will ever eclipse the career he had. Lots of people get the gross hyperbole of 'next goat' like Pogacar, but there's not a snowball's chance in hell that Pog can ever win 525 pro races, let alone the depth and breadth of Merckx's pal mares. Well done, Scott.
@@teddansonLA impossible to compare and if you're going to compare Merckx to today's riders, I will raise your statement with this... today's riders wouldn't be able to win as much if they were racing against Merckx et al in their era.
@@johnandrews3568 But you made a statement which makes that comparison. My point is that the comparison you have made favours Merckx. Merckx was the best of his time, no doubt - that's probably all you can say. _today's riders wouldn't be able to win as much_ The best of them would win more that they would win today - that's the point. Pogacar or Wout Van Aert could win the tour in 1970, as well as the spring classics.
@@teddansonLA bottom line is... no one but Eddy Merckx can claim GOAT status until they have eclipsed 525 wins. I would hazard a guess if you could take any current WT rider back to 1970 and put them on a steel bike with a straight block and wool kit.. they would for sure struggle. If you took Eddy or Roger in their prime, and brought them into the future with carbon frames, easier gearing and lycra kits, they'd do much better than the other way around. But it's all for nothing cuz no one has a time machine.
I have my doubts about Pogs legality in these modern times sponsored by a team with unlimited funding . Back in Merckx day i dont think there were these supplements were there ?? Please enlighten me. i luv my cycling as a fan and a participant.
They did mind boggling amount of drugs in his era and before. More than than during controversies…cocaine, crack, amphetamines, heroin, testosterone. There were no drugs tests. They all took it. No one cared.
@@johnb2044 Of course, the pharmaceutical industry was pretty primitive back then - just uppers, really. Not like they could turn a donkey into a racehorse like they did for LA.
@@stevemawer848 Yes, basically speed only. The EPO hormone's genome had not even been isolated yet at that time, let alone duplicated for synthetic EPO manufacturing way back then, even by the world's top scientists. Now blood 'packing.doping' WAS around back then, and fully undetectable (NO hematocrit tests given to winning pros or other endurance athletes), if not even NOT actually illegal then. ?
A DRUG CHEAT. Strange that this has not been mentioned. Sad that such an extraordinary athlete felt it necessary to do so. It surely helped him win races. And it surely harmed his heart.
They were ALL DRUG CHEATS! They were all testing the limits of what was acceptable, and they are still doing it today. In that aspect, he playing field was absolutely level for all riders. And he still won 525 victories
Eddy Merckx to legenda kolarstwa, nie ma nawet co do tego dyskusji. Gdyby miał taki sprzęt jak obecnie, pomiary mocy, całe zaplecze dietetyków, psychologów itd, to nie byłoby dziś na niego gościa w peletonie. Zastanawiam się także, co by było gdyby tacy kolarze jak Szozda, Szurkowski, nie byli za żelazną kurtyną w strefie niezagarniętej przez sowietów, i startowali bez ograniczeń w zawodowym zachodnim kolarstwie?!.... Podejrzewam że przewróciliby wiele klasyfikacji generalnych w Giro, TdF, Vuelta.... Pozdrawiam
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Shook his hand a few years ago at Godeau cycles ( Godeau was his year long mechanic). Eddy Merckx is the calmest and humblest man you'll ever encounter. I still can't discern what impressed me most... Shaking the hand of a living legend or encountering the most gracious human being.
He gave an interview on the pain he faces all the time. He said if there is any morning where he's not in pain then that's only because he's dead. It was already difficult for him to turn 40 years old he said one time. Now he's almost twice that age. Dude has to be calm. His body won't let him be any other way ;))
@@bastian6173 Was that the result of that awful crash during a 6-day race in which his pacer died? He was never the same after that, but was still amazingly good.
@@stevemawer848 Idk... I only know one time he hurt his knee real bad and since then he's been in almost constant pain. I think now he is mostly dealing with the consequences of decades of racing. I think he also had some heart issues where the doctors realized his heart wall so the muscle part has thickened and become stiff. The doctors said his heart could have failed at any moment and that that has been going on for years and years. Anyway, Eddy pushed the body to the absolute limit and no matter the consequences I am sure it was worth it! He won't be forgotten anytime soon.
Axel has a 161 km./100 mile ride in Penticton, BC, every summer. About 40 kms. In there is a steep, long twisty downhill. I was with a group of guys about his age or a bit younger. Eddy, then well into his 60s, passed us outside on a sharp downhill hairpin like we were standing still - amazing bike control!
😲
Are you talking b.the grade dropping down to osyoos. My mom grew up there.Penticton is a very nice city.But eddy is the goat.
WHat most fail to realise, Eddy dropped whole pelotons Downhill as well as up! There are stories of him and Gimondi dropping everyone down, i think it was Izoard in the Tour, jumping washouts flat out, barely touching the brakes, Eddy trying to drop Felice, and Gimondi hanging on for literally grim death. It's how he beat Ocana in the Tour when Ocana had blown everyone including Eddy climbing. Eddy attacked downhill, Ocana ended up falling and had to abandon. Lets not forget his attacks Down the Poggio to ride away from the field to win Milan SanRemo! But here's what set Eddy apart, he raced the Track quite a bit, winning something like 20 Sixes. That's where you really learn bike handling!
I am a definite fan of Eddy Merckx, of course. I discovered him in 1969 (I was 11) in Paris-Roubaix where he finished second but since then I followed his career till the end in 1977 ( he just rode a few races in 1978 when he stopped ). I was impressed by his courage, his rage of winning, his "panache" and his chivalrous spirit. My greatest deception was in 1975 when he lost what should have been his 6th victory in the Tour de France, making of Merckx the absolute winner ever in this competion. He mist also a few other records, like a fourth win in the World Championship in 1973, a 4th win in Paris-Roubaix 1975 (he got a puncture 5 kms before the end and managed to catch up the group and was beated in the sprint by a great Roger De Vlaeminck) and at last he should have been the first cyclist to "break the wall" of 50 kms in an hour in Mexico. But, Merckx being Merckx, he started off too fast, willing to break the 10 and 20 kms record, using this as a loophole to reach the 50 kms. Anyway, you can't win everything of course and for many a professional cyclist it would be paramount to win even one Tour or one "monument" ! Bravissimo Eddy !
Wow! Thank you so much. What a forgotten legacy. Years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet and ride with Eddy when I worked in the bike industry. For a club rider, those were moments I will never forget. What a humble gentleman. I'm now 65, and every time I meet some young rider, I make sure by the end of the ride, they will know who the greatest cyclist of all time is. The cannibal.
He was also exceptionally good at track racing, many wins on the track. His versatility is unrivalled.
That is not a real comparison , as in the day specialization was not common like the past decades. But what is still astounding are his 500+ victories in a good 12-13 seasons. That was 40 victories i of all kind per year in a sport where you mostly don't win..
For 12 years on average every week you 'd hear the news sentence " Eddie Merckx has won ....". Incredible ...
@@lws7394 actually yes it is! Eddy won around 20 sixes. The pussies these days cant race a whole season, and are scared of track racing.
@@lws7394Bullshit. Eddy won over 20 six day races, it's absolutely a fair comparison. Just shows that today's boys are totally lacking.
And the time trials too. When I was a teenager he seemed to be breaking time trial records every week. A remarkable athlete.
Eddy Merckx is truly the greatest cyclist of all time. It incredible to think about how he rode those bikes without helmets, something that would not be legal today. Modern riders wouldn't be able to survive the intense challenges that Merckx faced, as we are simply not built the same way as those legendary.
Not even debatable. The very very best. Almost incomprehensible really. 👏👏👏
Absolutely unbelievable
@@lh5717 he did use drugs
Merckx (and his kind were) was so so at best. For starters, he (and the rest) rode inferior steel bikes with inferior Campagnolo, Cinelli, 32x3X wheels, friction shifters, cage pedals, side pull brakes......, all metal. YUCK! Everything was wrong; he didn't spin. His cranks weren't 150mm. Nothing was "aero". Forget this worthless, out of it codger. Today's cyclists are the real stars.
@@phililpb Everyone did
@@CopperLabsSupport so the whole sport is a farce?
Anyone cycling in his era, pro or amateur were in awe of this man. The media had run out of superlatives in an Endeavour to describe his race performances. Young boys, men and older men were astounded and delighted in watching him , reading about him in cycling weekly . He was and is an inspiration for life in all sorts of different ways, because of the deep respect for him as a human being. A great man and The Greatest Cyclist of all time. No one has come even close to evoking the passion and respect he generated. Simply the Best. Head and shoulders above all.🇧🇪👍🏻 Thank you Eddy Merckx.
The greatest athlete the world has ever seen. The depth and breadth of his wins in unmatched in any sport. And his legacy as a gentleman of exceptional quality remains inspiring to everyone.
Novak Djokovic is the greatest. He is STILL winning slams at 36. 23rd today. No other athelete can match his dominance.
@@fender1000100 Tennis? Good lord country club boy, that sport's not even close to the kind of athleticism of a pro-tour cyclist endures, especially at this level. Races can last up to 7 hours, in rain, snow or heat with thousand of meters climbing, cobblestone roads, 60kph speeds with broken bones and death just a twitch away. We're talking back to back racing for weeks on end for a season that lasted 10 months a year. Tennis is a great sport but please, don't compare the athletic expression to cycling, it's just not on the same level.
Simone Biles?
@ZyICjdUXAHCwLUDHlFk5yFVe None of the examples you listed cover the depth and range of what Eddy. It's not just about total wins, of which Eddy had over 520 professional victories in a career of 13 years. From single day races on all sorts of terrain, track events, medium stage races, climbing, sprinting to Grand Tour wins, many single day events lasting up to 8 hours etc plus the time for training, the sheer dedication of time alone is astonishing. Which one of the list you suggested had such range? We're talking about a sport which combine speed, endurance, strength, agility etc in every type of weather for a minimum of 9 months a season for 13 years. Motor car racing, chess, golf, billiards are not remotely similar in comparison.
I recall a story about a journalist who wanted to interview Eddy, as he was training for the upcoming season. He arrived at Eddy's hotel at what he thought was a reasonable time in the morning, probably around 8AM but the hotel manager said you missed him already. He found out later in the day that Eddy had done around 300 km that day, training. So, the journalist came back the next morning and the desk informed him that indeed, he had missed Eddy again, he was already out training, another 300 km plus day... That's how you become a legend, never stop pushing yourself to best as best as you can be..
Ask him also witch drugs he used. Same as Armstrong.
His blood was on certain time so bad he need a blood transfusion
@@johank1061 which.
@@johank1061 Synthetic EPO was not even in existence way back then, not EVEN as/for a purely experimental hardcore, purely MEDICAL treatment for anemia, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease sufferers.
Now, all of the rest (blood 'doping'/packing, as done by Scandinavian cross-country skiers and distance runners at that time), the amphetamines he was accused of using, etc., I don't know.
When training I rolled out my driveway no later than 6:04 am.
2:59 the guy in the blue jersey, is Matthieu van Der Poel's grandfather. Raymond Poulidor
Wellspotted!😁
He came along and had such a huge impact on my life as a cyclist and after all these years I'm still loving the bike!n
To get an idea just how good Merckx was, when he set the World hour record in 1972, he also set the 10 and 20 km records simultaneously. His record stood for 12 years and was only beaten through the use of aerodynamic accoutrements. In 1997, the UCI banned all these aerodynamic aids and the best time under the new rules was 49.7 km, only 269 m more than Merckx.
The man who beat merckx by 269 meters used a aero helmet
And on an indoor track. Sheltered from wind.........
Merckx' '72 record was set at the end of a FULL SEASON. Let me repeat : At the end of a FULL SEASON. (Look up his '72 season alone entries/wins. HOLA!) No months of specialized training. Mexico City (OUTDOOR track) was a last minute location, practice was only four days. Any questions......?
@@death2pc the altitude would have made oxygen more scarce even tho decreasing the wind/air friction/resistance. I would think the lack of O2 would limit the results but not clear.
Great video. Thank you. I have read Half Man Half Bike a couple times now. It is amazing read. Its hard to comprehend how dominating his performances were. Absolute legend
Legendary stories of how sighing up for his team meant some serious Winter pre season training pain for the chosen few.
I would love to have an Eddy Merckx Century bicycle from the late 1980's with Campagnolo C Record/Delta brakes and Sigma sew ups wheels.
I remember Eddy Merckx in tears wheen he saw his son Axel take the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. Eddy never won a medal at the Olympics (albeit because professional cyclists were not allowed at the Olympics when he was around).
Eddy was actually away in a break at Tokyo when Julien Stevens took out himself Eddy and a British rider. Eddy would have won gold if not for a dopey Dutchie.
Yes, a very, very small window for the purely Brundage dictated amateur riders to win the lottery which was the Olympic Road Race way back then (unless they were one of the 'State Pros' from the Iron Curtain countries).
Thanks for a very good summary. I remember following him and the Tour de France on French TV in the early 1970s.
A great tribute to the GOAT.
The greatest...and a really decent humble bloke...
wow, young adolescent memories, great vid reflections of 69 thru 74, i "read about this in "bicycling" , it never on tv back then
...or a pitiful one sentence blurb in The New York Times (NOT even in the Sports section, no less, since it was not considered a 'sport' here in the states then 😠😠).
Easy for newbies to say that mercx wouldnt beat the talent nowadays, but at the same time, the riders now would not beat mercx if they were racing in the 60s and 70s with insane long stages packed with a load of cols, shocking road conditions, heavy bikes and arduous weather conditions
Yeah, especially the material has improved a lot.
Hard men.
He raced the best. If anyone is better let them beat his record.
So damn right!
@@jl8628Cav equalled one.
I have been told this many times by retired pros. Before the start of any race with Merckx in it, professionals looked at each other and said, "You know we are all just here racing for second place."
Summed it up real nice at the end. Also, his hour record has only been beaten once, and by just ten feet.
Ganna beat it recently, by a lot
@@lucasdaems1251 Ganna beat a different hour record. Only Boardman beat Eddy.
@@starkparker16in that case, my apologies!
@@lucasdaems1251 it's cool.
Thx for the retro video with some great content I've never seen. 👏👏👏
Glad you enjoyed it :)
Thanks for the great history lesson Scott, well done!
Cheers Dean glad you liked it
Such an amazing athlete.. you did not mention the percentage of wins to races but roughly 1/3 if my memory is right… unbelievable omg
Eddy combined all the characteristics needed to be the best, not just good in a couple of things! In those days the athletes did not earn enough money to retire, Eddy founded his factory, and offered a job at his former team mates, not just a fantastic athlete in my opinion! Revealing was the interview with Joop Zoetemelk when the journalist asked why he didn’t overtake Eddy in the sprint after ‘sucking the wheel’, and Joop replied that it was a super performance just riding right behind EM!
Like sitting behind a MOTO!
The greatest cyclist, no question. Probably the greatest athlete. His career would have gone on longer if it weren't for injury and burning himself out.
What made Merckx the greatest was his insatiable hunger "to win at all costs".. .to lose was intolerable. ! .
And yet he was not an asshole, which is a rarity at that level of competition.
I've been there many times, pushing my limits to where I couldn't articulate a complete sentence. It has to do with having a peak cardio and skeletal system. However age is very real and now I listen more to my body.
Why is Pogi criticized today for winning too much?
@@Pipe_JL yes that idiot TJ vanGarderin continues to mouth off about Tadej winning too much. the stupidest commentary I have ever heard.
@@Pipe_JL if you are in search of the truth, I would say it's based on body language. TP finishes races today in 2024 like he isn't even breathing hard on a monumental climb, beating doped records by several minutes... when you watch videos of Lemond or Merckx there is a "struggle" that any rider of any ability would believe and relate to
As you can tell “the cannibal” was from another planet,,great video 😊
En todas sus entrevistas, de ahora y de antes, me parece una persona extraordinariamente humana. Tuvo que trabajar duro para tener su primera bicicleta, porque aunque sus padres poseían una pequeña tienda de ultramarinos y podían comprársela prefirieron que supiera lo que era pelear por los sueños. El Ogro solo lo era encima de la bicicleta. Todo el mundo adora, ahora, a Eddy por todo lo que ganó. Yo le adoro por como supo asimilar tanta gloria como el chico de barrio humilde que nunca dejó de ser.
the legend. no fancy tech. old school gear. no fancy spandex clothing. no helmets. and some smokers to boot.
If you thought you could follow him uphill, reconsider following him downhill. He had incredible bike control. There's one moment in the 1975 Tour de France (which he lost) , where he goes downhill on the attack in the high mountains and the motors and cars are too afraid to follow him.
The project of development team Aktion was one of best for young talent riders ,just look the number of riders who were in that team and today they are in some of the best teams in the world, bravo Axel Merckx !
The beautiful bikes in this video!
Eddy Merckx le roi des rois sans égale pour l éternité et des siecles. Merci monsieur Eddy Merckx de m avoir fait rêver que dieu vous protège vous et votre famille.
Eddy came in 2nd in that Tour where he got punched in the ribs as the video states. You should know that bruised ribs make it painful to breathe. But also during that same race, he was rolling up to the start finish line before the start and failed to get his foot out of the toe-clip before full stopping and fell over and broke his jaw and had his jaw wired shut the rest of the race and was forced to take nutrition in a liquid no chewing form. So not only was he gifted, dedicated and smart he also was very determined!
Good Video. Always nice to see footage of the Greatest.
Unless I missed it, you forgot to mention the hour record. It has been broken, but it is hard to make an apples and apples comparison of former and present records.
Agreed! Actually, it would be kind of fun if every record was connected to the gear used in it.
That would mean a lot of lists to keep updated, but honestly I would love to see Ganna racing around the Velodrome on a boneshaker.
Most of today's pros (unless they were former world class pursuiters, or are the current very best TT riders) would not even think about attempting that torturous 'record of truth'. 😉
Great video! Thank you!
Maybe expanding on the WC he won would be worth another one.
Back into cycling at 79. Merckx is about a month older than me. Probably accounts for why he was sooo much better than me.
Fantastic Vid. The 🐐. True Legend.
With relaxed testing and the “Code of Silence” will entrusted in all who joined the Pro ranks. It was safe to say, many raced with assistance. Just look at the insane racing calendar they raced, also stage distances were brutal.
Just returned book about those crazy times in cycling and him great piece of history was there. 4:10 .. 10 years !!! for this !!!
To make it short: In my humble opinion, there are four categories in pro cycling which really count. Time Trial, Climbing, Sprint, Rouleur.
Dont confuse Time Tiral with Rouleur, thats not the same. A Rouleur is a guy who can ride very fast over 100 or 200 kilometers and more without needing someone around him. Great Rouleur's are George Hincapie and Jens Voigt in their prime. Jan Ullrich was a better time trialist then Voigt, but Voigt was the better rouleur.
Merckx was imo the only rider in cycling history, who had in these four categories either a 9 or 10, there is no 8 or weaker. Not Coppi, not Indurain, not Hinault, not Anquetil, not Armstrong, and not any of todays riders has this total package.
And since he had either a 9 or 10 in those four major categories, he won so many races and is simply the GOAT.
"His bodies ability to process (helpful medicines) was unmatched during his time." Some random fan on Puy - 1975
Haters always gonna hate.
He held that record in track cycling Mexico at altitude until chris boardman with high tech bike helmet etc.. incredible
Forgotten about Moser?
@@DHTCF Moser had disc wheels/some limited aero benefits.
Good summary!
I think the time frame makes me lend that the World wars had an effect. Since people wouldn't be wanting to give birth during the war efforts which would line up almost perfectly for Eddy to not have a huge populous of cyclists birthed in those years making him easier to stand out.
Another thing you forgot to mention was the hour record that he did. Which was right in the middle of his racing season whereas later on it would develop into people training specifically for that event.
I remember diving into his list of wins and notable finishes some 25 years ago when I began to take in the history of European cycling...this was in step with Armstrong’s wins at the Tour....I was already a serious young roadie at the time with maybe 5 years under my belt, and a beautiful NOS CANNONDALE 3.0 built up with Campagnolo Mirage components under my sore butt....
We cannot judge cyclings past....and that is up to and including Armstrong.....the benefits to cycling as a Worldwide sport, and a industry are immeasurable....and Competitors are born first, then shaped ....then unleashed
And I forgot to add...hearing Eddy’s accomplishments again now at the age of 47, is nothing short of incredible......and I think even Lance would find Eddy’s name falling from his mouth in answering....”who was the greatest? “
Add to this the Six-day races on the track in the "off" season Eddy partnered with many stars as well, plus the 1972-hour record.
Easily the best ever. And that in a time with such strong riders he still was extremely dominant. Nothing I have ever seen (well...I never saw him actually) comes close, although Bernard Hinault comes to mind. To me Hinault is the second best rider ever. After that probably Anquetil. Might have missed someone.
One cyclist better than Merckx. Beryl Burton.
@@keirbateman267 You can't compare a female with a man. Not because females are inferior but because in female racing even today the competitionis nowhere as close as in men. But she was surely amazing regardless.
@@keirbateman267lol no
No mention to the 3 times he was caught doping?
the Legacy trickles down like a River, the Talent that Axel has brought along
If mercx had not broke his back after his first tour win, who knows how much better he would have been. He said he was only 70% of his previous self.
Yeah, yeah, I'm calling BS on that one. Eddy, I'm only at 70% but destroy everyone, Merkxx. Almost all riders deal with setbacks.
The drugs compensated
@@benfinesilver2250 Anyone who says doping is what made Merkxx great is also misguided.
@@Requiredfields2 He was great from genetics. Surely doomed like them all though
There was a lot less competition in those days, the teams were also build around one leader. The sport was less global, less professional, and much lower level then it is today. If Eddy Merckx was born in this era he would be a rider like Wout van Aert at most.
An Icon without a doubt!
He's the Goat goat. Compare him to anyone in any sport and I've yet to see his peer.
I used to stare in wonder at his hour record bike displayed in a Seattle shop. I doubt we ever see the cycling likes of him again
The best ever. Not only cyclist, but sportsman!
great cyclist yes, but also a doped cyclist, tested positive 3 times so god know how many other times he doped.
Several years ago Merkx participated in a charity event in Marin County, north of San Francisco. By sheer good fortune I was standing in the area where his van stopped. Eddy got out of the passenger side, the side I was on. If he wasn’t busy I’d have tried to shake hands with him. But he WAS busy, prepping one of his factory’s gorgeous bikes, with the ride officially starting in only a few moments.
What impressed me most about “The Cannibal” was how compact he was, considering he humiliated every rider of his era. I’m 5’10” and 165 lb and was very close to Eddy’s size. What that said to me was the toughest athletes are possessed by an obsessively competitive nature, and in addition the inner strength that enables the rider’s physiology to withstand the unbelievable amount of punishment it is forced to endure, year after year.
While there is only one Eddy Merkx, it pleased me to learn that world beaters coming all sizes, including medium. To the 17-year-old considered too small for the football team but with a fighting spirit, I would recommend getting into bicycle racing, where the average-sized competitor has the advantage over stronger riders who weighty musculature slows them on the climbs.
Merckx is the best cyclist of all time by far. First of all he has won the most victories but he was facing amazing opponents that are also ranked among the best cyclists of all time like Thevenet, Van Impe, Zoetemelk, De Vlaeminck, ...Even Hinault, the second best rider of all-time, said that if Merckx would be riding in the 80's He would have won 10 Tour de France.
EDDY WAS THE GOAT. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT RECORD SPEAKS FOR IT,S SELF. GREAT COMMENTARY....
Eddy Merckx was the ONLY European rider from the Continent to attend Tommy Simpson's funeral!
Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson
2007. William Fortheringham. I have always questioned that as being incorrect
No, I see Merckx more objectively than some whose comments I read here.
He doped to win, just like and ENTIRE generation of professionals who followed him. Doping is part of the professional peloton.
Merckx is no cleaner or dirtier than Armstrong or ANY other doped pro cyclist.
Yea, it's a bitter pill you have to deal with, not me. I don't approve of doping in sport, but I will NOT put Merckx on a pedestal.
I am built exactly like Eddy Merckx...same height, leg/arm length etc.
Most would agree for a cyclist, Eddie had pretty skinny legs and wide hips.
What made Eddy special is what you can't see, his plumbing. Same with Secretariat.
Secretariat’s ‘plumbing’ would extend whenever he saw a female horse!
I suppose it’s possible that like Secretariat he has a larger heart. At autopsy it was determined that Secretariats heart was 4 pounds heavier than his biggest rival and pumping blood pretty important, no?
Cheers
His palmares. Just watching the numbers. It's still a bit of a shock every single time. And I've checked the books every year since the early 90's.
the Goat
LEGENDARY.
The race event calender they maintained back then alone would destroy modern riders. Please.
If you add the careers of Fausto Coppi, Sean Kelly, and Peter Sagan I think it's roughly equivalent to Eddy Merckx
Though the war got in the way for Fausto, so he could have had a lot more opportunity.
I think he would be still winning nowadays .
no carbon, no disk brakes, no helmets, 19mm rims on tubulars. Just the balls to ride hard.
No; electronic shifting, fully aero road bikes/skinsuits, head units for pacing, cushy 30C tires, modern in race hydration/fueling products, etc. either!
I WANT THOSE CYCLING POSTERS OF THE CLASSICS😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳
Dear sweet Lord....cycling and Art Deco....it’s as good as WOMEN AND ART DECO
I thinking the same thing! Beautiful work, but I think it would look a whole lot better in my
Place!🤭
In my view simply the best ever cyclist without question.
... and he accomplished most of this with a bad back. He was a cycling GOD! He would dominate today!
Hewas the best but then the dope was probably the best as well !!
I don't understand why we pretend he is so great. He got busted with doping three times (Italy 1969, Italy 1973 and Belgium 1977).
The jealous man who punched Eddy on the Puy du Dome should have been jailed, fined and forced to pay Eddy. Too bad, he could be ave won six TdF's.
I think he was prosecuted and handed a nominal fine.
I never knew Axel looked this much like his dad! Wow!
He was a doper so who gives a fuck how good he apparently was
He was best. An absolute animal!
This should be required watching for ALL pro cycling fans. There is only one GOAT and it's Merckx. No one will ever eclipse the career he had. Lots of people get the gross hyperbole of 'next goat' like Pogacar, but there's not a snowball's chance in hell that Pog can ever win 525 pro races, let alone the depth and breadth of Merckx's pal mares. Well done, Scott.
Merckx wouldn't have been able to win as much in today's field, which is deeper and more specialised.
Has Pog ever even ridden on a track, ever??
@@teddansonLA impossible to compare
and if you're going to compare Merckx to today's riders, I will raise your statement with this... today's riders wouldn't be able to win as much if they were racing against Merckx et al in their era.
@@johnandrews3568 But you made a statement which makes that comparison. My point is that the comparison you have made favours Merckx. Merckx was the best of his time, no doubt - that's probably all you can say.
_today's riders wouldn't be able to win as much_
The best of them would win more that they would win today - that's the point. Pogacar or Wout Van Aert could win the tour in 1970, as well as the spring classics.
@@teddansonLA bottom line is... no one but Eddy Merckx can claim GOAT status until they have eclipsed 525 wins. I would hazard a guess if you could take any current WT rider back to 1970 and put them on a steel bike with a straight block and wool kit.. they would for sure struggle. If you took Eddy or Roger in their prime, and brought them into the future with carbon frames, easier gearing and lycra kits, they'd do much better than the other way around. But it's all for nothing cuz no one has a time machine.
Brilliant 😊😊❤
also Grand Prix de Nations and hour record
He is the greatest by a huge margin.
He won’t good he was brilliant 😊👍.
3:00 great photo
After all, one might ask: how God was Eddy Merckx really. I remember those years and cycling was Merckx!
The Goat . !
Won 526 races. At one point, averaging one race win per week.
Eddy forever ❤❤
He is one of the best ever. No doubt
I have my doubts about Pogs legality in these modern times sponsored by a team with unlimited funding . Back in Merckx day i dont think there were these supplements were there ?? Please enlighten me. i luv my cycling as a fan and a participant.
They did mind boggling amount of drugs in his era and before. More than than during controversies…cocaine, crack, amphetamines, heroin, testosterone. There were no drugs tests. They all took it. No one cared.
think again it was just not ready available .... and if he was, there was no testing for it Tommy Simpson popped him self go look
@@johnb2044 😁
@@johnb2044 Of course, the pharmaceutical industry was pretty primitive back then - just uppers, really. Not like they could turn a donkey into a racehorse like they did for LA.
@@stevemawer848 Yes, basically speed only.
The EPO hormone's genome had not even been isolated yet at that time, let alone duplicated for synthetic EPO manufacturing way back then, even by the world's top scientists.
Now blood 'packing.doping' WAS around back then, and fully undetectable (NO hematocrit tests given to winning pros or other endurance athletes), if not even NOT actually illegal then. ?
Cavendish better lookout for a solid punch to the ribs, if, and only if, he appears to break Merckx' TDF Stage-Winning Record. Watch this space!
I don’t see how a sprinter can get punched. They win in the last 30km where the pace is so high, a spectator can’t recognize the riders…
Chavendish isn't fit to drink Merckx's piss.
A DRUG CHEAT. Strange that this has not been mentioned. Sad that such an extraordinary athlete felt it necessary to do so. It surely helped him win races. And it surely harmed his heart.
Which is why he died so young?
They were ALL DRUG CHEATS! They were all testing the limits of what was acceptable, and they are still doing it today. In that aspect, he playing field was absolutely level for all riders. And he still won 525 victories
Talent pool 🏊♀️ much deeper today.
With that said we will never know. It’s just argument after a while with no definitive answer.
give this man todays bikes and see
Eddy Merckx to legenda kolarstwa, nie ma nawet co do tego dyskusji. Gdyby miał taki sprzęt jak obecnie, pomiary mocy, całe zaplecze dietetyków, psychologów itd, to nie byłoby dziś na niego gościa w peletonie.
Zastanawiam się także, co by było gdyby tacy kolarze jak Szozda, Szurkowski, nie byli za żelazną kurtyną w strefie niezagarniętej przez sowietów, i startowali bez ograniczeń w zawodowym zachodnim kolarstwie?!.... Podejrzewam że przewróciliby wiele klasyfikacji generalnych w Giro, TdF, Vuelta....
Pozdrawiam