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Happy 75th birthday, Eddy Merckx

The Cannibal celebrates three-quarters of a century

Photo by: Courtesy Le Coq Sportif

Eddy Merckx, the Cannibal, the greatest pro cyclist of all time, turns 75 years old today. He was born in Meensel-Kiezegem, Belgium five weeks after World War II ended in Europe.

Merckx’s palmares from 1965-1978 is simply staggering: 34 stages of the Tour de France while winning five titles, 24 stages of the Giro d’Italia while earning five crowns, seven Milan-San Remo victories, five Liège-Bastogne-Liège wins, three Paris-Roubaix cobblestone trophies and three world championships. Not too shabby.

Merckx on his way to his second Giro title in 1970.

The birthday tributes flooded Twitter.

Merckx started his career with Belgian team Solo-Superia in 1965, and really hit his stride with Spanish side Faema in 1968. His best known years were with the Italian Molteni squad from 1971-1976. Since retirement Merckx started his own bicycle company in 1980, managed the Belgian national team world championships for a decade and was a podium presenter at the Tour de France. Last year, the Tour paid homage to Merckx 50 years after he won his first yellow.