Eddy Merckx issues health update: “I lost four months of rehabilitation”
Cycling
Cycling legend Eddy Merckx has shared details about a difficult period in his recovery following hip surgery, revealing the challenges he’s faced in recent months. Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, the five-time Tour de France winner explained how complications with a titanium hip prosthesis significantly delayed his rehabilitation.
“Last December, doctors attached a titanium prosthesis to Eddie Merckx's hip,” he explained, “but it didn't bond well with the bone.”
Despite his best efforts to maintain physical activity, Merckx said he wasn’t seeing the progress he had hoped for. “I was constantly exercising, but nothing was improving,” he said.
Eventually, the medical team identified the issue, an extremely rare complication.
“The doctor told me that this only happened four times out of 10,000 cases,” Merckx said.
That discovery led to a second, more complex procedure. “This time, the prosthesis was apparently cemented in place,” he explained. “The operation lasted four hours, but by Sunday, I felt the difference. I stood up and everything already felt different.”
It was a breakthrough moment, but one that came after a frustrating delay. “Unfortunately, I lost four months of rehabilitation,” Merckx added. We can only hope now that the champion (of just about every race) can regain his health and strength, and we will seem at the races again soon.
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- Jorgenson turns 26 this year, he won't get much bettervappaxbipmv02-04-2025
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- I just went through the list of events in his recent riding history listed in another article (so not including his very expensive legal affair and any potential trouble at home) and it’s a half miracle he’s still riding at all. He's outfallen Roglič for sure, who always came away RELATIVELY unharmed.Mistermaumau02-04-2025
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