Eddy Merckx crash: Cycling legend to undergo surgery after suffering a fractured hip
Cycling legend Eddy Merckx has broken his hip after falling off his bike, Belgian media reported.
The 79-year-old 11-time Grand Tour winner was cycling with a group when the incident occurred near Mechelen-Holmbeek.
His wife Claudine told reporters it was a “silly accident” and “no other road users were involved”.
“Eddie just slipped away,” she said. “He knew immediately he had done something. He was in pain.”
Merck will undergo surgery at Herrenthals hospital where fellow Belgians Remko Avnepour underwent surgery last week The two-time Olympic champion was involved in a car accident during training and suffered multiple bone fractures.
Merckx retired in 1978, having also won three World Road Championships. In 1974 he became the first rider to win cycling’s Triple Crown by winning world titles at the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
Only two people have emulated this feat, Ireland’s Stephen Roche in 1987 and Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar earlier this year.
Merck also shares the record for Tour de France stage wins with Mark Cavendish, the British rider who has now retired. He scored a big victory in July with his 35th win.
