This guy had swagger before parents of the newest generation of swag merchants were born. (See OFWGKTA.) Eddy Merckx is the end all and be all of Baller.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99O9XJA8NJE[/youtube]
The music is a bit much, but the video footage is great. Some clips taken from here: Jorgen Leth’s Stars and Watercarriers (1973 Giro d’Italia).
Lance Armstrong won seven Tours and one World Championship. He was a very, very good cyclist.
But he was no Merckx.
Eddie Merckx won the Tour five times, the Giro five times, the Vuelta once, and three World Championships. Need I even mention San Remo (7), the Ronde van Vlaanderen (2), Roubaix (3), Liège (5), and Lombardia (2)?
The acceleration at 0:50 is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Completely gobsmacked…
Don’t forget his hat trick of yellow ,green and the king of kings polka dot.
let’s not forget the hour record http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqjEvDlFqdM
Love it, love it, love it. My observation is is that most of the riders of today that obtain the leaders jersey in whatever Grand Tour just follow the wheels…they race not to lose….
Merckx took it to ’em every chance he got…
Yea. That acceleration at :50 was fooking amazing.
Merckx’s balls are just slightly smaller than this guys.
http://images.ehowa.com/downsidetohugeballs.jpg <— NSFW
Eddy never rode a compact .org?
…the ONE & ONLY eddy fucking merckx…
…just sayin’…
Wind in the hair! Compulsory helmets have ruined the Pro peloton.
LA was a very, very good cyclist? We all now know better.
What’s up with the shower scene?
I didn’t need that today.
The shower scene was a throwback to the days when you could just walk into a cyclist room with a camera. Eddy had nothing to hide. Lance and his crew of dopers changed that.
Thank Jonny, I was gonna be lazy today after the first cross race yesterday…screw that, it’s sunny, Im now motivated!!!
Most of these clips come from the 1974 documentary “La Course en Tete” which is on YouTube in 8 parts.
Here’s part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpEPeU-bdxw
Watch it and learn about the greatest.
“That Belgian, he doesn’t even leave you the crumbs… he’s a cannibal.”
RB333 +1. I was trying to remember the movie. It was a regular one we’d throw on during the winter doldrums at the shop… Baddest of the bad-asses.
I’ve attempted to replicate the roller scene… no.fucking.chance.
Incredible video. No doubt, the great bike racer of all time. But let’s not rewrite history. He tested positive three times. Today, he’d get a life ban. But it doesn’t make me think any less of him.
Best cyclist of all time, no doubt …
If that video doesn’t make you want to ride, you have no fucking soul.
Sideburns…
That is all…
Oh, and LA WAS a very good cyclist. Yeah, he doped…blah…blah…blah…
You can’t make a thoroughbred out of a jackass.
And don’t forget, Merckx got popped for doping…more than once…
let em dope…who cares. That shit is hard as hell
shook The Cannibals hand once..
Anyone thinking Eddy was part of a doping conspiracy or a system designed to enhance his performance through drugs only need visit his Wiki page.
According to Eddy, he was not part of a designed, planned or pervasive doping program.
And there is the difference. Today (or in recent), teams are planned around finding dopers to ride and conspire.
Additionally, today’s PEDS can and do take the the sub-par and turn them in to thoroughbreds…the proof is there…the stuff works.
Ah yes.
Yet another innocent post with a great vid turns to shit on the doping issue.
“According to Eddy, he was not part of a designed, planned or pervasive doping program.”
YoRo— sometimes you say pretty silly things. M’kay class, can we name any other cyclist who’s ever made this claim? Anyone? Ferris?
Is there anyone else that thinks this is better than the MacCaskill video?
…onegeargood…i think they both add wonderful texture to the rich tapestry that is cycling…
…eddy merckx ???…eddy merckx still stands alone…despite ‘anything’…
…& i don’t know how young mister danny macaskill ultimately stands amongst his peers but the videos of his work///riding are unparalleled in the industry…from start to finish, they’re a beautiful treat, not just a video i scope to see cool & radical riding…
…just my ‘take’…
dope don’t give you heart. Respect.
“dope don’t give you heart.”
Though I understand your sentiment, I’ve witnessed pack filler go from “I’ll try to hang in” to having the confidence of a champion and true self belief through the use of drugs to win races.
Doping works, physically and then yes, mentally. It also serves the opposite, which is to deflate quality riders who won’t dope when they get beaten by those that do. Stolen glory and fake greatness, it is evil.
That dude makes Rocky Balboa look like a weak little sissy.
Damn.
Just. Fucking. Damn.