One of the uncountable records Eddy Merckx holds is his success to win four consecutive grand tours in a row. No one ever has won all the three grand tours in a year1, but a double was no more impossible since Fausto Coppi won Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in the same year for the first time in 1949. To win four consecutive grand tours means a cyclist have to win two in one and another two in the next season. Also, all the three gand tours have to be involved in this record.
As well known among cycling fans, for decades, Vuelta a Espana was held in the spring, right before Giro d'Italia. (The first autumn edition was held in 1995.) Tour de France was, of course, the peak of the cycling season, and most of the top riders choose usually Giro d'Italia as their second grand tour participation.
In 1972, Eddy Merckx won both Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, with this result he was then a 4-time Tour de France (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972) and 3-time Giro d'Italia (1968, 1970, 1972) winner.2
Next year he decided to ride Vuelta for the first and only time in his career, and right after also Giro d'Italia.
At the Vuelta, the inevitable happened: Eddy Merckx, at the peak of his career, won the Spanish grand tour at his first attempt. Then he went to repeat his overall victory from previous year at the Giro d'Italia.
Thus he started his winning streak in the early summer in 1972 (Giro d'Italia was held between 21 May and 11 June), won the Tour de France in next month, then triumphed at Vuelta a Espana in the spring of 1973 and few weeks later he stood on the top of the podium at Giro d'Italia again.
But he skipped Tour de France that year.
MORE EDDY MERCKX ON PELOTONTALES
Cyclists led the Giro d’Italia general classification from start to finish
There are only four riders who led the general classification of Giro d’Italia thtough the entire race. Although the number of days they spent in leadeship differs due to the different stucture of the race though the years. Costante Girardengo 1919 (10 stages) During the first edition of Giro d’Italia after World War I Girardengo … Read more
25 March 1971 Eddy Merckx wins Omloop Het Volk
You might wonder why an edition of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (or as it was called back in those day, Omloop Het Volk) was held so late in the spring classic calendar. The Omloop is one of the earliest races of the season, it always has been, because the creators of the competition wanted to have … Read more
Eddy Merckx on Blockhaus (Giro d’Italia 1967)
Every road cycling legend, every great champion has that first epic moment that defines their career. The moment that takes everyone by surprise, yet deep down, everyone knows this cyclist was always capable to do it. In 1967 Eddy Merckx was already a two-time Milano-Sanremo champion, after he repeated his success in previous year. He … Read more
MORE CYCLING FUN FACTS ON PELOTONTALES
Most days in pink jersey
The pink jersey (maglia rosa) was introduced to the Giro d’Italia during the race in 1931.Learco Guerra (The Human Locomotive”) was the first rider to wear it.The top 11 riders with most days in pink jersey :Eddy Merckx 78 (1968,1969,1970,1972,1973,1974)Alfredo Binda 65 (1925,1927,1928,1929,1931,1933)Francesco Moser 50 (1976,1977,1979,1980,1981,1982,1984,1985)Giuseppe Saronni 48 (1979,1981,1983,1985,1986)Gino Bartali 42 (1936,1937,1939,1946,1947)Jacques Anquetil 42 (1959,1960,1961,1964,1967)Fausto … Read more
Every time Passo del Mortirolo was part of Giro d’Italia
Passo del Mortirolo, usually a mid-stage ascent, was introduced to Giro d’Italia in 1990. The first rider on the top was the Venezuelan Leonardo Sierra. There is a monument to Marco Pantani at 8 km from the top (from the side of Mazzo di Valtellina).Also, there is a special prize for the rider first atop, … Read more
Cyclists led the Giro d’Italia general classification from start to finish
There are only four riders who led the general classification of Giro d’Italia thtough the entire race. Although the number of days they spent in leadeship differs due to the different stucture of the race though the years. Costante Girardengo 1919 (10 stages) During the first edition of Giro d’Italia after World War I Girardengo … Read more
The most Giro d’Italia stage victories
Mario Cipollini won the most Giro d’Italia stages He became the sole record holder on the 9th stage of Giro d’ Italia in 2003See the list of the top 25 riders:Mario Cipollini 42Alfredo Binda 41Learco Guerra 31Costante Girardengo 30Eddy Merckx 25Giuseppe Saronni 24Francesco Moser 23Roger De Vlaeminck 22Alessandro Petacchi 22Fausto Coppi 22Franco Bitossi 20Miguel Poblet … Read more
- and no one should ever win, because we don't want a peloton where only one rider is so overwhelmingly dominant, do we? [↩]
- He won Tour the France for the 5th time in 1974. The other two Giro d'Italia victores came in 1973, obviously, and 1974. [↩]
- and no one should ever win, because we don’t want a peloton where only one rider is so overwhelmingly dominant, do we? [↩]