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merckx

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tubularglue

tubularglue

Jul 2, 2009
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"I began to use it to my advantage. Being in pain from the start made me sharp and on edge and well motivated. I had no fear of what lay ahead. I was already suffering. My opponents had all that to look 'forward' to but they didn't know when it would ambush them in the race.

"Sometimes,also, it was very bad and it was as if I raced so fast just to get the race over so I could stretch out on the floor or the bed to get comfortable. The mind can overcome great setbacks and make a person very strong."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...y-pain-was-never-a-barrier-for-fast-Eddy.html

There were 525 wins in his 1,582 career races, a 33 per cent success rate and on average a win every week for 10 years.
 
elapid

elapid

Mar 18, 2009
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The one and only - no argument as to who is the best cyclist of all time. The Cannibal indeed.
 
Captain Serious

Captain Serious

Mar 9, 2009
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My favourite quote from Hinault:

"It's impossible to compare Armstrong to previous Tour champions such as myself, Indurain, Mercks and Anquetil. If Merckx focused only on The Tour, he would've won it 15 times!"

cool! :)
 
Dr. Maserati

Dr. Maserati

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Jun 19, 2009
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Clemson Cycling said:
how many times did he fail a dope test. Wasn't it like 3 times?
Click to expand...

From memory I believe he was involved in four different incidences.

But he is still the best ever cyclist of all time - and probably always will be.
 
C

Clemson Cycling

Jun 28, 2009
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From memory I believe he was involved in four different incidences.

But he is still the best ever cyclist of all time - and probably always will be.
Click to expand...
How would you guys feel about Armstrong if he came out and openly admitted to doping in 1999 or something like that? He would be skinned alive. For Merckx to have no tarnish from doping is not right.
 
TRDean

TRDean

Mar 18, 2009
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Clemson Cycling said:
How would you guys feel about Armstrong if he came out and openly admitted to doping in 1999 or something like that? He would be skinned alive. For Merckx to have no tarnish from doping is not right.
Click to expand...

Big difference in the quality of "doping". While you are probably right...Merckx is just a nicer guy and Armstrong...well you know.
 
elapid

elapid

Mar 18, 2009
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Clemson Cycling said:
How would you guys feel about Armstrong if he came out and openly admitted to doping in 1999 or something like that? He would be skinned alive. For Merckx to have no tarnish from doping is not right.
Click to expand...

Probably a topic for the Clinic. But in answer to your question, I think if Armstrong announced that he doped in 1999 then it would be a storm in a tea cup for a few days and that would be about it. I would have loved to watch Merckx race, and I am sure he was tarnished by the accusations and suspensions at the time (but it was also a different mentality in both the peloton and with cycling fans, and as TRDean said it was a different kind of doping), but heMerckx was probably regarded in a similar way back when he was racing and domnating to the way Armstrong is regarded now. When Armstrong retires, we will then talk about professional cyclists who are currently racing and no doubt their will be tall poppy syndrome with some of them as well. It still doesn't change the fact (at least it is a fact IMO) that Merckx is the best cyclist of all time with his strength and number of wins across a wide range of disciplines from Classics to Grand Tours.
 
Dr. Maserati

Dr. Maserati

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Jun 19, 2009
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Clemson Cycling said:
How would you guys feel about Armstrong if he came out and openly admitted to doping in 1999 or something like that? He would be skinned alive. For Merckx to have no tarnish from doping is not right.
Click to expand...

Definitley for the Clinic.

As for Armstrong- firstly he will never confess, he has to much to lose now.
But it wouldnt suprise me - shall we say it would suprise and let down people who hold a different opinion to mine.

Clem- you have already admitted that you are new to cycling- Merckx was simply the best rider ever (with or without PEDs).

But to say his that his name or victories have not been tarnished from doping is very very wrong.
 
Cobber

Cobber

Jun 18, 2009
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Mods - please move this thread to the clinic. I don't want another violation. ;)

As others have said, Merckx did not have the types of doping practices that todays top riders have at his disposal. This makes me wonder, how good would Merckx have been if he was riding today?!
 
Dr. Maserati

Dr. Maserati

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Cobber said:
Mods - please move this thread to the clinic. I don't want another violation. ;)

As others have said, Merckx did not have the types of doping practices that todays top riders have at his disposal. This makes me wonder, how good would Merckx have been if he was riding today?!
Click to expand...

I actually think this thread should remain where it is.

Clem made a genuine observation - and while it is on the wrong forum it needed to be acknowledged - but I believe it has been addressed and duly noted. I also believe he thought 'we' had double standards when it came to certain riders so between this and his inquiry about Pantani I think he better understands our position.

So, I believe it should stay here and we just get back on topic.
 
red_flanders

red_flanders

Apr 3, 2009
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Anyone that thinks Merckx was a nicer guy wasn't around when he was racing. :rolleyes:

He was NOT liked.

For those whining about Merckx getting a pass compared to LA, well, he didn't get a pass, and he can't be compared to LA. The only thing that has passed is time, time enough for people to mostly remember the good things.

How in the world did LA get brought up anyway? Merckx's achievements are beyond compare. He won EVERYTHING. A third of the pro races he ever contested! Are you kidding me?
 
I

issoisso

Mar 18, 2009
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How can anyone think Merckx is a nice guy? He's an *** :confused:

Anyway, I recall someone describing Merckx perfectly in writing: "A Nietschzean siege engine of will".

The guy would not stop going. His willpower was unbelievable. He finished a tour second despite not being able to eat solids, vomiting a few different times a day and not being able to breathe properly due to a broken jaw.

Later in his career when his legs had gone he finished 6th with Gonnorhea.

He also spent all his career from January 1969 onwards (almost everything that matters) in constant back pain from a track racing accident that killed his six-day partner.
 
BroDeal

BroDeal

Mar 18, 2009
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Clemson Cycling said:
How would you guys feel about Armstrong if he came out and openly admitted to doping in 1999 or something like that? He would be skinned alive. For Merckx to have no tarnish from doping is not right.
Click to expand...

You cannot compare things from different eras, which does not even get into the vastly different effects of the aphetamines Merckx used and the EPO that Armstrong used, just as you cannot compare the racism of a political figure today to that of a historical figure who lived in a time where no one thought those attitudes were wrong. Over time things change.
 
Cobber

Cobber

Jun 18, 2009
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Dr. Maserati said:
I actually think this thread should remain where it is.

Clem made a genuine observation - and while it is on the wrong forum it needed to be acknowledged - but I believe it has been addressed and duly noted. I also believe he thought 'we' had double standards when it came to certain riders so between this and his inquiry about Pantani I think he better understands our position.

So, I believe it should stay here and we just get back on topic.
Click to expand...

Good point. After I posted I went back and read the original post and I agree that it belongs here. My mistake... :eek:
 
F

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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cannibal

I was looking at International Cycle Sport a little while back.
Those men suffered, Eddy was able to suffer more.
Doping was not an issue then. I am glad I have never felt Eddys'andCo. pain.
Merckx is the bomb. Just get out there and try riding with him now and tell me what you think about him. Just after.... if you can speak.
 
F

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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Fausto

I can think of only one rider who could have touched Eddy Merckx and he was Fausto Coppi. To bad Coppis' career was so short.
 
S

Sheltowee

Mar 10, 2009
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TRDean said:
Big difference in the quality of "doping". While you are probably right...Merckx is just a nicer guy and Armstrong...well you know.
Click to expand...

So, is doping relevant to the time or the person? A little relativism goes a long long toward justifying doping I suppose?
 
C

Clemson Cycling

Jun 28, 2009
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I acknowledge that Merckx was the greatest cyclist of all time and probably will always be the greatest cyclist of all time. However, I was trying to point out this double standard that exists in the sport today, as shown by many opinions on the forum. You have one guy who was caught three times for doping versus today where fans cannot stand riders based on the fact that they could have doped. I am not an Armstrong sympathizer and acknowledge that he is not the friendliest person that has walked this green earth (and am sorry he was injected into this thread).
 
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