Eddy Merckx has been a Belgian professional cyclist, who's widely considered the best cyclist of all time. In an illustrious career spanning both professional and amateur ranks, he won the Tour de France five times, Giro d'Italia five occasions, the Vuelta an Espana once -- and each of the significant classics at least twice (finishing with 19 classic victories in total). He was world champion three times, broke the world hour record, and dominated the game as nobody else has.
Eddy Merckx was created Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx on 17 June 1945 in Meensel-Kiezegem, Belgium. Unlike many other cycling greats of the era, Merckx's childhood was fairly comfortable. Whereas many contemporaries took to cycling as a means to supplement their meager income, Eddy Merckx had more chances.
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