Our friends at Bicycling Magazine are celebrating their 50th B-day and to make it really special they've put together a 50th Anniversary issue hitting newsstands next week (Oct. 4), stacked with some of the best stories and photography they've ever attempted.
One of those stories is their first-ever profile of Eddy Merckx, a fantastic story by John Brant that attempts unlock the mystery of what exactly made Eddy into the greatest cyclist of all-time.
The story starts like this:
"With two world championship titles and wins in all five of cycling's monuments, Rik Van Looy was the king of Belgian cycling when Merckx turned pro in 1965—and the older cyclist let the neo-pro know it, by poking fun at him while the two were teammates.
Merckx took his revenge in the individual time trial at the 1966 Paris-Nice, catching Van Looy, who'd started two minutes ahead, then, as he passed, shooting a burning glance over his shoulder. It was an uncharacteristic display for the usually taciturn Merckx—and, for such a young rider, an even bolder warning to the reigning legends."
You can read the rest HERE, or pick up the 50th Anniversary issue next week on your local newsstand.
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