Eddy Merckx

Belgian cyclist (born 1945)

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Born 1945 · age 81

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Wikipedia
67 languages
Cross-language footprint
Age
81
Born 1945
Known for
American Flyers
1985

Summary

Updated 2026-06-08

A teammate's daughter called him "the Cannibal" because he wouldn't let anyone else win. Édouard Merckx took 525 victories across eighteen years and swept every monument, every Grand Tour type, the hour record, and the World Championships — a breadth and dominance no rider has matched.

Biography

About

Born in Meensel-Kiezegem in 1945, Merckx grew up above his parents' grocery store in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, tried several sports, and found cycling. He got his first bike at three or four, raced in 1961, won at Petit-Enghien that October, and turned professional with Solo–Superia in April 1965 after eighty amateur wins. His first monument came at Milan–San Remo in 1966 after switching to Peugeot–BP–Michelin, then his first Grand Tour at the 1968 Giro d'Italia with Faema. Between 1970 and 1974 he completed a Grand Tour double four times; the final one in '74 paired with the World Championships ro…

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