Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx, better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional road and track bicycle racer, considered to be the greatest pro-cyclist ever. The French magazine V�lo described Merckx as "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known," while VeloNews of the United States declared him to be the greatest and most successful cyclist of all time. Merckx, who turned professional in 1965, won the World Championship thrice, the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia five times each, and the Vuelta a Espa�a once. He also won all of professional cycling's classic "monument" races at least twice each. Merckx was World Champion once as an amateur and three times as a professional, and he broke the world hour record before retiring in 1978. Since then, Merckx has remained active in professional cycling through various commercial and sporting projects, most notably by manufacturing and selling his own line of bicycles, Eddy Merckx Cycles. 

June 17th, 1945 in Meensel-Kiezegem (Age 79)