Talk:Eddy Merckx

message: According to the article, "Merckx began dating Claudine Acou in April 1965", and also, "On December 5, 1967 Merckx married Acou after four years of dating."  April 1965 to December 1967 is not a period of four years. Neb-Maat-Re (talk) 22:35, 27 July 2015 (UTC)
replies: text: Fixed. Disc Wheel (T + C)  16:59, 29 July 2015 (UTC)
thread_title: Another Calculation Error?

message: Eddy Merckx is the greatest cyclist ever. Even Lance Armstrong states this himself.
===More Greatest Ever===
"is considered by many to be the greatest cyclist of the 20th Century" really is quite an understatement.
Out of curosity, how much beyond Lance Armstrong are his results? 66.68.106.103 05:28, 12 May 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: Greatest Ever

message: "is considered by many to be the greatest cyclist of the 20th Century" really is quite an understatement.
Out of curosity, how much beyond Lance Armstrong are his results? 66.68.106.103 05:28, 12 May 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: More Greatest Ever

message: Bestowing the title of greatest ever is not a function of wikipedia.  Merckx has repeatedly stated that comparisons between him and Lance are a waste of time, the times and the races were different then.  If Merckx get's an award for greatest cycler of all time then that data belongs in wikipedia.  Otherwise present the actual data, and let people come to that conclusion themselves.
--63.229.127.222 16:02, 4 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Greatest Ever

message: Just a note that this talk page is to discuss the article as an encyclopedic entry, not for discussing Eddy Merckx as a person/athlete.  Julius.kusuma 15:08, 24 July 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: Talk page

message: The introduction part of the article is becoming bloated as contributors add information to it without seeing how it can be integrated to later parts of the article.  Would be great if somebody can collate all the information and re-sectionalize the article.  Thanks.  Julius.kusuma 12:15, 16 October 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: Need cleanup

message: Surely mistakes need to be corrected in Wikipedia, and duplicate sections should be removed? I don't want this to become an edit war at all, but when changes are reverted, an explanation would be nice? Looking forward to it...
 81.188.79.116 19:25, 20 December 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: reverted back to my version of dec 19th

message: Well, I had a go at a cleanup operation for this article about my fellow countryman. Most information is still there, just rearranged and duplicates removed. Added some more significant info. I didn't systematically check stats or results though, just mostly kept the whole bunch. I hope it looks better now... 81.188.79.35 23:40, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks for the awesome cleanup work and the addition of the information!  I am toning down the wording a little bit, but otherwise it looks great!  Thanks again, and hup Belge!  Or hup kasseinfretters, depending on where you live!  Julius.kusuma 01:47, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: Cleanup attempt

message: is considered by many to be the greatest cyclist of all-time (except for Lance Armstrong), 
This really was an unnecessary addition, and Lance is mentioned later in the article. The original sentence could be read as "some consider Merckx the greatest of all time, some consider somebody else the greatest of all time". Adding Armstrong here doesn't change that.
I will probably add a small (balanced) paragraph about "greatest of all time or not" one of these days212.153.56.254 09:50, 25 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Removed Armstrong-reference in first paragraph

message: How is his last name correctly pronounced?
            Like in "sex" => "mex" => "merx"
            I wish I knew phonetics...--JH-man 20:05, 24 July 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pronunciation 

message: The text of the copyright tag includes the following words:
Note: It is not acceptable to use images with this tag in the article of the person or persons depicted on the cover, unless used directly in connection with the publication of this image.
In other words, using a mag showing Merckx to illustrate this article isn't justifiable unless the publication of said mag is the point being discussed, not its subject. 86.132.138.151 03:04, 25 July 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Magazine cover photo 

message: According to this interview with Merckx:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2005/interviews/?id=eddy_merckx05
Merckx "only" had 445 professional wins.  I think the total of 525x professional wins isn't accurate.  If you disagree please provide sources.
CN: You had an incredible career, with 445 wins.
EM: As a professional, yes. I had about 100 victories as an amateur. Also, on the track, 17 six days and various championships.
--Meekrob 00:14, 4 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Fact check 

message: This is unfortunately no longer correct:
 Hour record: 49.432 km, set in 1972.
Chris Boardman and Ondrej Sosenka have since beaten this record...
If I am mistaken and this is just all the records he set at that time, then please delete this. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.175.84.17 (talk) 23:35, 3 March 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I added the clarification that the section is for records that Merckx set during his career, and pointed out that the Hour record has subsequently been broken. Cheer, Doctormatt 23:51, 3 March 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  hour record 

message: :Image:Merckx cover.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page.  Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 22:19, 5 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Fair use rationale for Image:Merckx cover.jpg

message: :Image:Merckx cover.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is  other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page.  Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.
BetacommandBot 05:15, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Fair use rationale for Image:Merckx cover.jpg

message: :Image:Merckx cover.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.
Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.
If there is  other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page.  Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.
BetacommandBot 04:09, 3 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: Fair use rationale for Image:Merckx cover.jpg

message: I restored the previous wording because there's nothing wrong with it IMO. 
Merckx's stats are so overwhelmingly dominant (check out a ranking like http://www.kolarstwo-szosowe.gda.pl/Ranking_2005.html ) that it would not even be outright unreasonable to simply declare him the greatest of all time.
The only reason why that would not be a good idea after all, is that one would be comparing different eras with different opponents, different pressures, different scope of the sport etc. That's why the words "regarded as" are being used instead of the bolder "is".
fact: Merckx is one of the greatest and most successful cyclists of all time.
reputation: Merckx is regarded as the greatest and most successful cyclists of all time.
JH-man (talk) 09:04, 3 January 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: THE best or ''one of'' the best, ''being'' and ''being regarded''

message: For the discussion on the move request, please see Talk:Eddy Merckx (disambiguation).--Kotniski (talk) 06:11, 26 August 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Requested move

message: I've removed the entry for the 1973 Tour because Merckx didn't ride. I could write something about his racing that year but not under the TdeF heading. And since we haven't featured any other year, why 1973? A conundrum. Still, it's explained under 1972 that he didn't ride, and why. Les woodland (talk) 05:37, 19 December 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Doesn't the same objection hold for the 1976 Tour de France? --EdgeNavidad (talk) 15:37, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: No. An even greater crime for nicknames and catch-phrases - they are not catchy. Done. Gone. Autodidactyl (talk) 08:28, 29 December 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: 1973 Tour

message: I've always thought of a nickname as a monnicker which someone might use to your face or to others on seeing you go by. I can imagine one rider pointing out Merckx and saying "The Cannibal's here, then." But I can't imagine anyone saying, "Did you sleep well, Einstein-on-Wheels?" References to riders as the Giant or Einstein aren't nicknames, surely, but references of praise. That was why I deleted all but "Cannibal" a while back. People know who The Cannibal was. It was a widespread alternative name and therefore pretty much a nickname. But "Einstein-on-Wheels"? No, I don't think so. Do you? Les woodland (talk) 07:40, 29 December 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: No. An even greater crime for nicknames and catch-phrases - they are not catchy. Done. Gone. Autodidactyl (talk) 08:28, 29 December 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Nicknames

message: Am I the only one who thinks the latest big rework of this article introduced way too many quotes? I appreciate the effort that was put in, but Eddy was a bicycle racer, not a philosopher or great intellectual. All the "XXX said:" repetitions are bad for the overal style as well. The information not necessarilly needs to be removed, but some of the information in the quotes could be worked into the article differently. This would also improve the layout IMO. JH-man (talk) 10:48, 27 January 2009 (UTC)
replies: text: I also really appreciate the effort put into this article. But there are too many quotes on this page, it decreases the readability.  The quotes are a good source for some information; I agree that this information should be worked into this article, with the source of the quote as reference. This could improve the article even more. --EdgeNavidad (talk) 15:26, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
replies: text:  I agree, the information is great and not otherwise accessible to the likes of me, but much of the info should be woven into the text, and many of the quotes demoted to notes or references. I will have a stab soon. Autodidactyl (talk) 15:49, 29 January 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Too many quotes

message: I beleive he also rode for the Falcon Cycles team, but not sure what years - possibly 1976, 1977?  Anyone have further info?  I lived adjacent to the Elswick Hopper factory in Barton-Upon-Humber, and my wife worked there in the 1970s.  I seem to remember they had a cycle range named after him too.--86.130.30.122 (talk) 23:05, 24 January 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: External links support what's in the infobox. SeveroTC 09:19, 25 January 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Pro Teams 

message: The article reads "Merckx was earning 125,000 Belgian francs a year when he won the championship (approx €2,000 at 2008 values)." - I wonder if this is a correct conversion as the euro was introduced at 1/40.3399 against the franc, which would mean that BEF 125,000 were worth €3100 in 2001 already, and that's not even considering inflation since 1967. --Hooiwind (talk) 13:19, 25 May 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Francs to euros 

message: Is this him? 1:47 minutes in the film ?.Tushyk (talk) 09:40, 1 May 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  1964 Olympic road race 

message: The Wikipedia article "list of doping cases in cycling" currently provides some information on Merckx. Why does this article exclude this information? It cannot be because of ignorance. AnnaComnemna (talk) 17:20, 28 November 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Drugs use 

message: The current intro para is terrible. The introduction para should explain why Merckx is important, not give minor details like town of birth and sports played as a child! Further, it should articulate more information about the subject than one fact taken out of context -- why is it impressive that he's won five tours? Has anyone else won five? Has he won anything other than the Tour?
I would strongly suggest that the intro should be rewritten to give a short and clear summary of Merckx's palmares and the extent to which these achievements represent a huge and striking dominance of the sport in his era and his claim to be the greatest ever.
I think the Don Bradman intro para is a good example of this:
"Sir Donald George "Don" Bradman, AC (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001), often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time.[2] Bradman's career Test batting average of 99.94 is often cited as the greatest achievement by any sportsman in any major sport.[3]"
A similar para here might be:
"Édouard Louis Joseph, baron Merckx (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɛrks]) (born 17 June 1945), better known as Eddy Merckx,  is a Belgian former professional road and track bicycle racer who is widely seen as the greatest and most successful rider in the history of cycling. His unparalleled palmarès include a peerless eleven Grand Tours (five Tours of France, five Tours of Italy, and a Tour of Spain), all five Monuments, three World Road Race Championships, the Hour Record, every major one-day race apart from Paris-Tours, and extensive victories on the track."
It would be more appropriate to put details like his place of birth, early sports, and first win etc in a subsequent para dealing with his early life.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.56.3.99 (talk) 23:55, 12 February 2017 (UTC)
replies: text: They may not have seen your post here. If you want to get the attention of a particular Wikipedian, it's a good idea to post on their talk page and let them know that you've posted here. You can find the name of the user and a link to their talk page on the article's  page. --David Edgar (talk) 01:05, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

text: You do have some good points here, though I would tone down the praise somewhat in order to provide a more neutral point of view. I would also draw your attention to MOS:OPENPARAGRAPH, which does support some of what you say. --David Edgar (talk) 01:24, 17 February 2017 (UTC)
replies: text:  Thanks, I will have a look at that page. The extent of the praise is mostly just taken from other parts of the existing article, but it could certainly be toned down -- although many would say that anything other than adulation fails to give the Cannibal his due... 47.72.2.140 (talk) 23:22, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

text: Hi, again I have this problem! My understanding is that reverting edits with out trying to seek consensus is deprecated, no? I am happy to work collaboratively but this is hard if other users only want to protect their patch. Who do I talk to about this breach of Wiki etiquette? I am finding this frustrating and disrespectful. 118.93.126.234 (talk) 06:47, 23 May 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  intro para 

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*Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20150618034255/http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1977_05%2F19770510_0012.pdf to http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Farchivio%2Funi_1977_05%2F19770510_0012.pdf
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thread_title:  External links modified 

message: I went looking for a source which will back up the claim no one who understands cycling would deny that Merckx would be the Jordan Gretzky Brady of his sport but all I can find is forum discussions where this analogy is made several times..... Forums aren't reference citation sources so is there any other way to cite this being as not many American sports reporters have made this exact comparison.... At least none that pop up on google search? Raleigh80Z90Faema69 (talk) 03:22, 19 June 2020 (UTC)
replies: text: This comparison just seems to be something more of to explain Merckx casually to people you know in person perhaps to show his magnitude and is not encyclopedic in nature. The article clearly paints a picture that he was regarded as the most dominant rider to race. Disc Wheel (T + C) 04:33, 26 June 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  Gretzky Brady Jordan.... Merckx 

message: Hi, it's a bit silly to show a picture of the Tre Cime mountains, as if the road goes up there, rather than ending as it does about 600 vertical metres lower! I know cyclists refer to cols (passes) as peaks but to suggest "rode solo to the stage finish atop the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (pictured)", when the picture doesn't show the road is a bit much. If I say I climbed to the top of something, I don't mean I got to the car park at the bottom of it. Eddie was good but I don't think he scaled hundreds of metres of vertical rock with his bike held between his teeth.
A photo of the road or just change the text to "rode solo to the stage finish below the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (pictured)"  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Oblomov99 (talk • contribs) 21:04, 25 October 2020 (UTC)
thread_title:  Tre Cime di  Lavaredo