Few athletes in any sport have embodied total domination the way Eddy Merckx did in professional cycling. Known worldwide as “The Cannibal”, Merckx earned his nickname not through showmanship or provocation, but through an almost unsettling refusal to leave anything for his rivals. If there was a race, a stage, or even a minor classification available, Merckx wanted it. And more often than not, he took it.
Born in Belgium in 1945, Merckx emerged during an era when cycling was already rich with tradition and legendary figures. Yet he didn’t simply fit into that history — he overwhelmed it. What makes his career extraordinary is not just the sheer number of victories, but the breadth of disciplines he mastered. Grand Tours, one-day classics, time trials, sprint finishes, mountain stages, and even track events all fell under his control. Unlike specialists who tailor their careers around specific races, Merckx treated the entire cycling calendar as his domain.
His dominance in the Tour de France remains the most obvious example. Winning the Tour five times between 1969 and 1974, Merckx didn’t rely on conservative tactics or defensive riding. He attacked relentlessly, often far from the finish line, and aimed to win stages even when the overall classification was already secure. In 1969, he achieved a feat that has never been repeated: winning the general classification, points classification, mountains classification, and multiple stages in the same Tour. It was a complete takeover of cycling’s biggest race.
Yet reducing Merckx to a Tour de France rider misses the bigger picture. He won the Giro d’Italia five times as well, often using the Italian Grand Tour to display his climbing strength and endurance. He also conquered the Vuelta a España, proving that his dominance was not tied to a single country, terrain, or racing culture. Across the three Grand Tours, Merckx set a standard of versatility that modern cycling has struggled to replicate.
What truly separates Merckx from most champions, however, is his record in the one-day classics. Races like Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and the Tour of Flanders demand a different skill set than stage races: explosive power, tactical awareness, and resilience over brutal terrain. Merckx didn’t just win these races — he often won them repeatedly, adapting his style to cobblestones, hills, and chaotic sprint finishes with equal success.
An often overlooked part of his legacy is his dominance in time trials and record attempts. In 1972, Merckx set the Hour Record, riding farther in one hour than any cyclist before him. This achievement highlighted his raw physiological capacity and mental toughness, stripping cycling down to its purest form: one rider, one bike, and absolute suffering.
Merckx’s approach to competition also reshaped cycling culture. He raced far more frequently than modern champions, often lining up hundreds of times per season. Rest and race-limiting strategies that define today’s elite cycling were foreign concepts to him. His philosophy was simple: if you were fit enough to race, you were fit enough to win. This relentless mentality both intimidated rivals and inspired generations of riders who followed.
While later eras introduced specialization, technology, and stricter team control, Merckx’s career stands as a reminder of what complete mastery looks like. He didn’t dominate because cycling was easier — he dominated because he refused to accept limits. Across every discipline the sport offered, Eddy Merckx set a benchmark that still defines greatness in cycling, not just in numbers, but in attitude, ambition, and sheer competitive hunger.
