CYCLIST

Eddy Merckx

1945 - Today

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Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (born 17 June 1945), known as Eddy Merckx (Dutch: [ˈɛdi ˈmɛr(ə)ks], French: [ɛdi mɛʁks]), is a Belgian former professional road and track cyclist racer who is the most successful rider in the history of competitive cycling. His victories include an unequalled eleven Grand Tours (five Tours de France, five Giros d'Italia, and a Vuelta a España), all five Monuments, setting the hour record, three World Championships, every major one-day race other than Paris–Tours, and extensive victories on the track. Born in Meensel-Kiezegem, Brabant, Belgium, he grew up in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre where his parents ran a grocery store. He played several sports, but found his true passion in cycling. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Eddy Merckx is the most popular cyclist, the 28th most popular biography from Belgium (up from 33rd in 2019) and the most popular Belgian Cyclist.

Eddy Merckx is most famous for being the first person to win the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia in the same year, which he accomplished five times. He also won the Tour de France five times and the Giro d'Italia three times.

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Among CYCLISTS

Among cyclists, Eddy Merckx ranks 1 out of 1,613. After him are Fausto Coppi, Jacques Anquetil, Rik Van Looy, Maurice Garin, Gino Bartali, Raymond Poulidor, Bernard Hinault, Roger De Vlaeminck, Miguel Induráin, Tom Simpson, and Lucien Petit-Breton.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1945, Eddy Merckx ranks 16. Before him are Radovan Karadžić, Priscilla Presley, Debbie Harry, Tom Selleck, Eric Clapton, and Jupp Heynckes. After him are Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, Wim Wenders, Daniel Ortega, Yoshinori Ohsumi, Patrick Modiano, and Helen Mirren.

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In Belgium

Among people born in Belgium, Eddy Merckx ranks 28 out of 1,190. Before him are Georges Simenon (1903), Auguste Beernaert (1829), Rogier van der Weyden (1390), Albert II of Belgium (1934), Philippe of Belgium (1960), and Jean-Claude Van Damme (1960). After him are Leopold III of Belgium (1901), César Franck (1822), Jules Bordet (1870), Abraham Ortelius (1527), Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy (1480), and Baudouin of Belgium (1930).

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Among CYCLISTS In Belgium

Among cyclists born in Belgium, Eddy Merckx ranks 1. After him are Rik Van Looy (1933), Roger De Vlaeminck (1947), Philippe Thys (1889), Rik Van Steenbergen (1924), Lucien Van Impe (1946), Patrick Sercu (1944), Firmin Lambot (1886), Odile Defraye (1888), Léon Scieur (1888), Walter Godefroot (1943), and Sylvère Maes (1909).

Belgian born Cyclists

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