Road Bike Racing - The Eddy Merckx appreciation thread

5 times Tour de France winner (1969-72, 1974) and 35 stage wins. Wore yellow jersey for a record 96 days.

5 times Giro d'Italia winner (1968, 1970, 1972-74) and 25 stage wins.

Vuelta a Espana winner (1973)

World Champion (1967,1971,1974)

Hour record (49.431 km, 1972-84)

3 times Paris-Nice winner (1969-71)

Tour of Switzerland (1974)

7 times Milan-San Remo winner (1966-67, 1969, 1971-72, 1975-76)

Tour of Flanders (1969,1975)

Paris-Roubaix (1968, 1970, 1973)

Liege-Bastogne-Liege (1969, 1971-73, 1975)

Amstel Gold Race (1973,1975)

Tour of Lombardy (1971-72)

Het Volk (1971,1973)

Ghent-Wevelgem (1967, 1969-70, 1973)

Fleche-Wallonne (1967, 1970, 1972, 1975)

Paris-Brussels (1973)

Henninger Turm (1971)

Grand Prix des Nations (1973)


525 total wins. All this done by the time he was 32 and with a bad back. He'd have 6 TDF wins if not for the punch.

And done on an "old school" bike too- no modern technology by today's standards. That's incredible!

I read a little about Merckx a while back. In 1973, they strapped him to a stationary bike and did some biological readings on him. His power output was measured at 450 watts, and again, this is on an old school stationary bike. That is truly amazing, considering the lack of technology and the fact he raced on an ordinary bike. Normal men are about 175- 200 watts, and when people train more than average (like cat 2- cat 5), they're somewhere around 300 watts, when they really push it and are really talented.

Dude is the man!

Koffee

One of my favorite Merckx stories is about 20 years ago when the what is now the Interbike show was in Long Beach, CA.. It was a big deal that Merckx's was going to be there.. They had a bike builder symposium where all these bike builders from around the country came and told what they thought was important and how there bikes were better built... They had a generic bike on stage and each builder went into details about the angles - material etc that they used.. Then it was Merckx's time to come on stage, at that time he had a very thick accent still... They give him this long intro, he comes on stage and everyone is on the tips of there seats and he says: "This bike it's no good, sell it and buy and Eddy Merckx".. He waves and walks off the stage.. How can you argue with the greatest cyclist in history.. A few years later I was able to buy 2 Motorola Team Issue Eddy Merckx's and still ride them to this day and they are great bikes..

-the most relentless, tenacious, powerful, versatile and successful racer of them all.

Cyclings MJ, Babe, Jim Brown, Spitz, Pele, Bradman........

He defined the sport in the modern era. A traditionalist, he raced all year, including some winter sixes and record rides.

His accomplishments are truly unmatchable, the way the sport has changed- but he would have been the dominant force in any era, under any rules.

Spring, 1975.

Had the current World Cup competition existed, Eddy Merckx would have ended the first half of the series with 470 points. He won them all but Paris-Roubaix where he finished in 2nd place.

Axel sure was in the drops at an early age! :D

As for Merckx, it may be a century before we see a rider like him again-- assuming anyone ever races full year again.

I've been reading about the tour, and it seems like LeMond is blamed for the big switch to season riders. Hinault seems like the last full-year champion.

On the other hand, LeMond also seemed to usher in a new era of better pay and treatment of riders, from winners to domestiques. It does sound like the old system was rather inhumanly rotten for riders, so it may be less than humane to long for the "old days" too much.

As for Armstrong, I've also read that some found him a relief after Indurain. With all of his faults, at least he has something of wild drive and personality, even if abrasively American. In some ways, the drive makes him similar to Merckx, which might explain something of their friendship.

It also seems to me that Merckx wasn't the most popular in his own time, as if he were too abrasive for the time period. I wonder how Armstrong will be seen 10-20 years hence. It's nice to seen that LeMond is still pretty popular when he makes appearances at the Tour.

It also seems to me that Merckx wasn't the most popular in his own time, as if he were too abrasive for the time period.

That's the first time I've heard/read anywhere that Merckx was less than popular in his time and that he was too abrasive.

Merckx was wildly popular with the fans and the riders. His team riders especially loved him because he always returned their support. One of his former "lieutenants" runs his factory.

The only negative connotation that I have heard anyone assign to Merckx was that he was aloof, when in truth he was detached because of his single minded focus.

People who know or have met Merckx all describe him as one of the most gracious and humble human beings they have ever met. I have shaken hands with Merckx twice, and once asked him to sign an autograph for a friend. He recently took the time to make a personal reply to an e-mail I sent to him. I have found him to be a very gracious, down to earth man.

That's the first time I've heard/read anywhere that Merckx was less than popular in his time and that he was too abrasive.


well, you don't get punched while on the bike for nothing

well, you don't get punched while on the bike for nothing

You don't really believe he was punched because of his personality do you? Tell me you were joking. :o

He was punched by a French fan because he was in a knock down drag out fight for victory in the TDF with a Frenchman, Bernard Thevenet, and Merckx was winning. The fan lost his perspective on reality, in other words, went temporarily insane. Fans do it all the time. Look how the French have treated Armstrong.

You don't really believe he was punched because of his personality do you? Tell me you were joking. :o


I'm saying it was a sign that he wasn't the most popular rider among the French cycling fans

But the fact that a very small percentage of French fans didn't like him had nothing to do with his personality. Rather, it was based on jealousy and not wanting him to win yet another TDF.

Laggard is correct!

Laggard is correct!

No, he's wrong, wrong, wrong! <just kidding>

There's no question Merckx was popular (in '69, you could by Merckx tea towels, chewing gum, key rings, tee shirts, etc.). And today, most cycling book references make him sound universally loved by all since the day he was born. It'd be hard to be more popular.

My point wasn't that Merckx had a bad or negative personality, but that the authors I've read seem to suggest his domination of the field was so complete (and sometimes stunning) that other teams and riders at the time were less than enthused. How could you blame them?

In '69, for example, he was disqualified from the Giro by a drug test after 19 stages of building a lead (a test that may or may not have been credible). He then returned to the Tour with a what seemed like a score to settle, and he took the yellow jersey on the seventh day and never gave it back. He won by 18 minutes. He seems like he was an outsider (Belgian, like myself) fighting back, and doing so in spades.

The domination, according to French champion Raymond Delisle in '69, led others to "lose the will to try" and "important firms... hesitate to invest considerable sums in a team of professionals they know will inevitably be beaten." (Source: The Unknown Tour de France, by Les Woodland.)

Now, fast forward to Armstrong today. He's not capable of dominating like Merckx could, but he has been strong, something of an outsider, and fighting back in the tour with something of a score to settle.

Perhaps the comparison is wrong, but at the moment at least they share five tour wins.

(snip)

Perhaps the comparison is wrong, but at the moment at least they share five tour wins.

I think the emphasis placed on winning the TdF and that being the gold standard cyclists are judged by is wrong. I'm not trying to put words in your mouth, my fellow Portlander. It's just my opinion that racers are too specialized today. Merckx won everything there was worth winning...usually multiple times. There isn't anyone today that even comes close, nor will there ever be. The Tour is the big focus now, since the advent of huge marketing dollars and the publicity that comes from winning it, for both the rider and the sponsors of his team. If you are one of the handful of riders that has a chance to win it, you throw everything you have into that endeavour. Example: Ullrich bagged it after a couple hours in the Fleche today. Armstrong is racing in Georgia this week. Merckx would have been at the front at all the spring classics, giving the peloton a good lesson in suffering! And, he would have still been one of the contenders in ALL the Grand Tours and the World Championships. They didn't call him the Cannibal for nothing! :eek:

And, I usually stay out of conversations about what bike is the best, etc., but if you haven't ridden a Merckx, you really owe it to yourself to do so. You can really feel his attention to detail in the way the bike climbs, descends, sprints and feels over a 6 or 7 hour ride. Amazing bikes. Legend has it that many pros have ridden repainted Merckx frames even though their team was sponsored by other manufacturers. I love my MX Leader, the last lugged steel frame EM made. My understanding is that it's no longer being built. If you can get your hands on one, you won't be sorry.

This graph is found at www.cyclinghalloffame.com :

I have been fascinated by the retro pro riders of the 70's and earlier.it seems they had very much the same endurance power as the modern champions, just look at the World Hour Record events, going back to Coppi pre WW 2 with his great ride on fat tubulars on the Vigorelli track.
I wonder if Merckx would have even given a good challenge with the sprint specialists of that time?
Did anybody record his avge, and max power?

5 years and 5 months

is that the record? (not including intentional old thread bumps)

This graph is found at www.cyclinghalloffame.com :

Thanks for the link, I've never seen that site before and I bookmarked it. I also noticed that poor Axel is 586th on the all-time list. That's a syndrome I've never really understood. You see lots of sons/daughters of legends trying to follow in the footsteps of the parent and it usually never works out.

I saw a little blurb on ESPN about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's son playing college basketball, and I kept thinking how sad that the son wouldn't ever be able to touch the ball without someone in the building saying, "He's not as good as his dad."

I have been fascinated by the retro pro riders of the 70's and earlier.it seems they had very much the same endurance power as the modern champions, just look at the World Hour Record events, going back to Coppi pre WW 2 with his great ride on fat tubulars on the Vigorelli track.
I wonder if Merckx would have even given a good challenge with the sprint specialists of that time?
Did anybody record his avge, and max power?

If I recall correctly, he won the points jersey in the TDF. But I think it was mainly because of his overall number of stage victories rather than his finishing sprint in a pack.

I saw a little blurb on ESPN about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's son playing college basketball, and I kept thinking how sad that the son wouldn't ever be able to touch the ball without someone in the building saying, "He's not as good as his dad."

Michael Jordan's son is about to start his career here in Orlando at UCF.
The hype really has been pretty low.
When his dad shows up for a game though...

Dude, did you see the new Apple Newton? I'm totally getting one. They are the future.

5 years and 5 months

is that the record? (not including intentional old thread bumps)

Aren't they all intentional ?

banerjek did three 8-year bumps a few days ago.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3305805392_f0525d6660_o.jpg

Does Laggard even post here anymore?

I wish he still did actually.

Yes Laggard still posts but mostly in the 217.

way to go to bump an old thread, and keep it relevant.

My favourite Merckx story is from one of the early Ride for the Roses in Austin,
Lance, Eddy, Kevin Livingstone and a few others start the ride as per normal.
Eddy (in his former overweight state) takes off like he's riding the Tour in his prime
and smoked all of the new hot shots.
The Cannibal indeed.

He's a great guy. Did a Lance Ride this weekend even though his mom just passed away. He's the best.

Makes a pink shirt look pretty damn manly:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y18/CalOso/Bikes/eddy20giro20gravel212121.jpg

...

banerjek did three 8-year bumps a few days ago.

Banerjek is the Merckx of old thread bumping.

yeah
Coppi had a great Record ride in '42 I think, he covered better than 27 miles on the Vigorrelli track. Technology wasnt on his side, but he was ahead of the times with training

Look at that picture
by the looks of his body angle, and hair swept back, hes hauling over 30 mph, on a bike that weighs 24 lbs plus, with 36 spoke wheels, 3 cross, and a squishy Brooks style saddle
The Cannibal in pursuit

5 years and 5 months

is that the record? (not including intentional old thread bumps)


Yeah, I saw "if the current world cup competition..." and I thought... wtf? That hasn't been around for five years.

Anyway, best punchline of a cycling joke ever - "That wasn't Eddy Merckx, that was God; he just likes to pretend he's Eddy Merckx."

And I met him at the Missing Link in Berkeley and he signed my sling. "You... crrash yourr biceeeecle?"

Merckx stories. I've got a few personal stories. Yup, I'm in like that. One is even quite funny, but this thread seems like such a waste to share it.

Merckx stories. I've got a few personal stories. Yup, I'm in like that. One is even quite funny, but this thread seems like such a waste to share it.

new thread?

Dooo it

BUMP!!!!!!!!!! :p


Here's a great youtube video about the greatest cyclist ever:


http://youtu.be/sziZ6PejrfM

Nice vid.

217?

"...Spitz,"

Quibbling here - Phelps.

Spitz was dominant, in four events. His records did stand for quite some time.

Phelps, by a long shot: his WR in the 400IM soo far ahead of the rest, not even close, and, very very few have doubled up and also dominated the 200IM; not just world class in the 200 fly and 200 free, no, total domination; world class in 100 fly and free, WR in the fly; world class backstroker, would certainly medal in 200 back at last two Olympics, perhaps even beat Peirsol; showed the world that breastroke would not be where rivals could gap him in the IM when he finaled at Nationals before the last Olympics.

The WRs span eight years, and he may not yet be done. There's been no one like him, period - the range of events, the years of dominating those events, fuggedaboutit.

Kinda like Merckx!