Eddy Merckx has been taken to hospital in Herentals, Belgium and faces surgical procedure after a crash throughout a motorcycle journey, which resulted in a damaged hip.
He was using on a street on the west facet of Mechelen when he fell to the tarmac, his spouse Claudine Merckx instructed Het Nieuwsblad, who described it as “a silly accident”.
“There was no different street consumer concerned, Eddy simply slipped out,” Claudine Merckx confirmed to Het Nieuwsblad.
“Fortunately he wasn’t alone, as a result of Eddy felt a pointy ache. He knew instantly what had occurred. That suspicion was additionally confirmed within the hospital: he broke his hip. Eddy now has to bear surgical procedure.”
Merckx is extensively recognised as essentially the most profitable rider within the historical past of males’s skilled biking and was nicknamed ‘The Cannibal’ for his aggression and dominance throughout his racing profession. He stays an ionic determine within the sport, particularly in Belgium, the place his accident was large information.
His 525 victories embody eleven Grand Excursions, together with 5 Tour de France victories. He gained all 5 Monument Classics, set a brand new Hour Report in Mexico, gained three street world championships and each main one-day race aside from Paris-Excursions.
The 79-year-old hit the bottom onerous whereas using alongside Bankstraat in Hombeek, on the west facet of Mechelen and simply north of his dwelling close to Brussels. He was the one bike owner concerned.
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“He skidded on a bend. He was in nice ache instantly and was taken to the hospital. He could have a brand new synthetic hip,” his sister instructed Sporza.
It was not identified if climate situations attributed to the accident, as the realm skilled sometimes overcast skies and funky temperatures shut to five°C.
The medical facility the place Merckx was taken Monday was reported by Belgian media to be the identical one which handled Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) every week in the past for a fractured collarbone suffered in a coaching crash.
In April this 12 months, Merckx was rushed to hospital for emergency surgical procedure when he skilled abdomen ache and had a bit of his gut eliminated for an obstruction.
Three months later Merckx was within the highlight once more when Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) broke his file of 34 Tour de France stage wins, going one higher with a thirty fifth stage win in Saint Vulbas. Merckx congratulated Cavendish by way of a social media put up.
