Arguably the greatest cyclist of all-time, how Eddy Merckx would have fared against the stars of today is a question we'll never get a proper answer to. For the legendary Belgian himself however, racing in the more scientific structure of today's peloton would not be an appealing proposition.
“Honestly, I wouldn't have liked to race today," the now-78-year-old, five-time Tour de France winner admits in a sit-down interview with Johan Bruyneel. "Because I wouldn't have participated in all the races. I just enjoyed racing too much. If I had been told then that I was not allowed to ride a classic... No, I don't imagine myself in that world today.”
At his peak, Merckx was racing an incredible 195 days in a calendar year. Compare that to the likes of today's stars Tadej Pogacar (just 50 in 2023 ed.) and Jonas Vingegaard (68 in 2023 ed.) and it's a stark difference. “Racing is pure fun, isn't it? Yes, I liked to train too," Merckx assesses. "You just can't compare it anymore. But the young riders are so used to that now. The riders now don't really know anything else.”
On Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, Merckx also commented on their varying styles. Whilst Pogacar stars in one-day races and is hot-favourite to claim the Maglia Rosa at the Giro d'Italia next month, Vingegaard is single-focused on the Tour de France. “The Tour de France is important, but not the only race that matters," Merckx concludes. "Jonas Vingegaard only focuses on the Tour. What he does there is very exceptional.”
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