In October, fans of the racing legend Eddy Merckx can buy Merckx 525, a new biography authorized by the Cannibal himself that contains a number of rare photos in a wide-format, coffee table format.
Dubbed 525 in reference to his career-win tally, the book is a truly complete record of his career, Merckx said.
The book will be available in October online, in bookstores and in some bike shops. You can preview Merckx 525 at velopress.com/merckx.
Many of the newly restored photographs in the book came from private collections, the Merckx family, and European newspaper archives.
Merckx in the 1968 Giro d'Italia
“Merckx 525 is a unique collection of exclusive photographs, including some that even I had not seen before,” Merckx said. “It is the only work authorized by me…and the first truly complete record of my accomplishments.”
The 224-page hardcover book is $60 in the US and £42 in the UK, including online from Cordee.
We can’t list all 525 wins here, but a quick skim of the highlights below should suffice to explain why many call him the greatest of all time.
5x Tour de France
5x Giro d’Italia
1x Vuelta a España
3x World Professional Road Champion
1x World Hour Record
7x Milan–San Remo
5x Liège–Bastogne–Liège
3x Ghent–Wevelgem
3x Paris–Roubaix
3x Flèche Wallonne
3x Paris–Nice
2x Amstel Gold Race
2x Omloop Het Volk
2x Tour of Lombardy
2x Tour of Flanders
2x Tour of Belgium
1x Dauphiné Libéré
1x Midi Libre
1x Grand Prix Frankfurt
1x Paris–Brussels 1x Scheldeprijs
1x Tour de Suisse
1x Tour de Romandie
1x World Amateur Road Champion
1x Belgian Road Champion
7x Super Prestige Pernod International
