Eddy Merckx is of course still considered the best cyclist of all time. Normally he does not make himself heard that often, let alone pass judgment on the current generation. But this time he made an exception.
Enjoy Pogacar & co
After all, Merckx was a guest in The Move Legends, where he was interviewed by Johan Bruyneel. He asked him about his favorite rider from the current peloton. The name of Tadej Pogacar immediately came to mind. “If you see… he has won the Tour, including classics such as The Tour of Flanders.”
“But of course also Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel or Jonas Vingegaard,” Merckx clearly also enjoys the other top players. “In terms of laps he is almost impossible to beat. Those are strong riders. And also Remco Evenepoel of course. He still has to improve, but he is a great talent.”
He clarifies his belief in the current Belgian champion. “Evenepoel has already been world champion. He has already won a stage race (the Vuelta, ed.). Of course he hasn’t won the Tour yet. He still has to prove that, we will see in the coming years. Pogacar is 25. He’s not that old either, is he? He has already won the Tour twice.”
Too happy to race
But although Merckx may enjoy contemporary cycling, he is absolutely not convinced that he himself has enjoyed it so much in these modern times. “For me, the Tour de France was the most important, but it is not the only thing. I had a love for cycling.”
“If I couldn’t participate in a classic… I don’t think I would have fit into cycling today. They now choose their matches much more. I enjoyed racing too much,” said De Kannibaal.
