NationStates Jolt Archive

Today, 17/06/2005, Eddy celebrated his 60th birthday. Present at the private celebration were some of his closest friends, new champs that like to circle around him and old concurents like Bernard Hinault "le blereau", Van Impe "the eagle", Indurain, Lance the todays "the boss" and many old mates and officials.

When we watch todays cycling and the focus on the Tour De France or Giro (Tour of Italy) and the great classics like the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Amstel Gold Race, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Milan San Rémo or the World Championship aso... people mostly focus on the Tour de France wich was won 5 times by Eddy. What most people forget is that in Eddy's time, the most important Tour with the greatest oponents was the Giro then. This week he said once time again that his most important "Tour" was the Giro since that was regarded as the hardest race then.

Nevertheless, he won about 1 race in 3 that he joined. Reason: "Once I rided, I wanted to win". Simple as that. We all knopw that Lance Armstrong, Indurain aso. only admire Eddy and are his friends, but we also have to inform the US public that idolises Lance for his 6 Tours De France that this will never put him, on the same stage as eternal Merckx "the cannibal". Eddy participated in about 1500 races and won 1 in 3 races. He also participated in all races during the season, this compared to more poor cyclist that can only win a race while they focus on one (Indurain, Armstrong aso.) becasuse they are not great/alround enough to become a legend.

Eddy, you were fat at your 58th birthday, then you started to cycle again, today we saw your face on the NY Times, El Pais, Le Monde, Guardian aso..worldwide. You lost about 20kg and are looking like a fine young canibal again. It is nice to see you on your bike again and doing 300km.weekly again.


Let's hope that Lance Armstrongs respect for his icon will learn something at those blind people in the US that think that our friend Lance is the greatest, a lack of respect and perfect example of people that don't know shit about sports.

It is allways very pitty that it are allways US neocons without the least knowledge(respect) of(for) sport that place Lance (because of being a American, altough trained by Belgians) above the greatest off all times.

http://www.eddymerckx.be/
http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2005/interviews/?id=eddy_merckx05


Happy Birthday Eddy!

i'm so glad that some one brought up one of the most popular sports in the world! we here in the U.S. don't hear too much about cycling, but i think it is one of the most difficult and interseting sports to watch. i must say that he was a great rider, probably the best. times have changed a lot since he was riding, the top racers, indurain, armstrong, hinault (its been a while since french class, so forgive my misspelling) are more concentrated on "le tour" than other races but what all of these gentleman have done is incredible. anyone that can do 2000+ miles (3000+ km) is completely ridiculus. luckily i have a cable station that broadcasts the tour, and i'm hoping that lance can get a 7th, either way, it will be exciting...bonne chance mes amies!

i'm so glad that some one brought up one of the most popular sports in the world! we here in the U.S. don't hear too much about cycling,!

How is that possible, everybody here in EU speaks 360 days a year about Lance, don't tell me that we follow his carreer more then you guys do? Lance is the greatest Tour de France rider a the moment and probably the record men for 50 years...
but i think it is one of the most difficult and interseting sports to watch. i must say that he was a great rider, probably the best. times have changed a lot since he was riding, the top racers, indurain, armstrong, hinault (its been a while since french class, so forgive my misspelling) are more concentrated on "le tour" than other races but what all of these gentleman have done is incredible. anyone that can do 2000+ miles (3000+ km) is completely ridiculus. luckily i have a cable station that broadcasts the tour, and i'm hoping that lance can get a 7th, either way, it will be exciting...bonne chance mes amies!

Well euh, I am not French, neither is Eddy, we come from small pretty Flanders!(in Belgium) and Indurain is Spanish (he likes to be callede a "Basque" or "Bask", the native people of a part of the PYRENEES°,

Well, I am to hoping for a next "victoire" of Lance ( we say "the boss") , like I follow Ylrich a bit, I don't think he will be dangerous but remember my words, watch out for "Vino"(Vinokourov from Telekom), he isq in prime shape, and has the good age...


Nice to know that you to can follow it by satelite!!! :fluffle:
Going to bike now. (mountainbike!)

All the best!

I think that it will be or Lance or Vino or perhaps, why not a outsider.

I didn't know Eddy won 1 in 3 races, that's a great record. I'm impressed he's still riding 300km at age 60!

Thanks to some Aussies doing pretty well in the last few years, cycling is getting much better coverage here in Aus now - particularly the Giro & Tour de France.

I didn't know Eddy won 1 in 3 races, that's a great record. I'm impressed he's still riding 300km at age 60!

Thanks to some Aussies doing pretty well in the last few years, cycling is getting much better coverage here in Aus now - particularly the Giro & Tour de France.

Matthew Gilmore (a Olympic medalist) and some of worldst best sprinters (shit don't remember the name but they ride in Belgian teams) come from .........AUSTRALIA!!!!.


BTW just watch Eddy's face now and compare it with the time he was active, the cannibal is back! 2 years ago he was still fat and doig 0km a week, now he regards his diet and health and has the same (but old and friendly) face back, glad that this monument is still alive. And very simple, mat him in the Alps while I was there for climbing, he has not the superstar attitude talks with everyone. (met him after a climb near Zermatt and he heared me talking flemish with colleges when we walked home after the climband, then he asked us some mountaininformation..(we, super supersurprised by this "tourist")...2 hours later, we were still talking about sports, climbing, cycling aso...)

The great Aussie sprinter that lives and rides in Belgium is Robby Mc Ewen! :cool: