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Eddy Merckx – Out On His Own: ‘The Cannibal’ through the eyes of his rivals and teammates
Author(s): Guy Roger (Author), Roland Hall (Translator), Eddy Merckx (Foreword), Ned Boulting (Contributor), Carlton Kirby (Contributor), Phil Cavell (Contributor), Andy McGrath (Contributor), Nige Tassell (Contributor)
- Publisher: Bloomsbury Sport
- Publication Date: July 21, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 304 pages
- ISBN-10: 1399430009
- ISBN-13: 9781399430005
Book Description
‘It is impossible to win everything he has won’ – Tadej Pogacar
‘Explains why and how the Belgian champion will remain the greatest cyclist of all time’ – Planète Cyclisme
The author puts the Belgian’s most beautiful wins in perspective by looking at his opponents’– L’Est Républicain
‘Merckx is in a class by himself’ – Jacques Anquetil
A UNIQUE ACCOUNT OF MERCKX’S DOMINANCE OF CYCLING, WITH PREVIOUSLY UNTOLD ANECDOTES AND MEMORIES.
WITH AN AFTERWORD BY EDDY MERCKX
For over 50 years, Eddy Merckx has reigned supreme as the greatest cyclist of all time, winning every bike race going: Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, La Vuelta, The Monuments, World Championships and the Hour Record. With Tadej Pogacar’s recent exploits inviting comparison with the man they called the ‘Cannibal’, this book looks back at Merckx’s incredible lifetime of racing, and of his insatiable appetite for victory which won him over 500 races.
Former L’Équipe journalist Guy Roger has traversed Europe to talk to the officials and journalists who were there, to interview Merckx’s former adversaries and teammates, and to reveal their accounts of racing with and against him.
Filled with anecdotes and previously untold memories, the book also looks back at the surreal Merckx years through the eyes of some of his greatest admirers such as Ned Boulting, Carlton Kirby, Nige Tassell, Andy McGrath and Phil Cavell. Eddy Merckx himself looks back at his life in a moving afterword, making this the ultimate celebration of a truly fascinating man.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“It’s the sheer quality, depth and breadth of his wins that sets him apart” ―Cyclist magazine
“Eddy Merckx … is the greatest cyclist to have ever lived and it is unlikely that in this age of specialism the Belgian will ever be matched.” ―The Telegraph
“Masterful book” ―Andy McGrath, author of ‘Tadej Pogacar: Unstoppable’
“Merckx is simply one of the greatest athletes that has ever lived.” ―Phil Cavell, author of ‘The Midlife Cyclist’
“An original book through his opponents’ testimonials” ―Le Cycle
“Roger explains why and how the Belgian champion will remain the greatest cyclist of all time” ―Planète Cyclisme
“The author puts the Belgian’s most beautiful wins in perspective by looking at his opponents” ―L’Est Républicain
“The author places the Cannibal’s 525 victories within the context of a romantic era of cycling which he dominated for more than a decade. With Guy Roger’s expertise, this is a narrative full of life and anecdotes told by Merckx’s own rivals” ―L’Équipe
About the Author
Phil Cavell is joint founder of the pioneering Cyclefit organisation which runs worldwide education programmes and provides bike-fitting services to professional cycling teams and athletes. He is the author of the best-selling
Midlife Cyclist. Andy McGrath is an award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering professional cycling since 2009. Formerly editor of Rouleur magazine and chief reporter at Cycling Weekly, he has also written about the sport for the Telegraph, the Guardian and the Financial Times. He is the author of God is Dead, a biography of Belgian star Frank Vandenbroucke, and Tom Simpson: Bird on the Wire, which won the 2017 William Hill Sports Book of the Year accolade. @Andymcgra
