Cycling, Merckx: "I would like Pogacar and Evenepoel to try for the hour record"

Rome, 19 June 2025 - Fresh from his 80esimo birthday, Eddy Merckx has time to dream big about contemporary cycling, that of the great phenomena that challenge each other in Grand Tours and in Classics: to these two scenarios the Cannibal would like to add a third, the oval of the track to go hunting for the hour record. An invitation clearly addressed to Tadej pogacar e Remco Evenepoel.

Merckx's statements

Intercepted by the microphones of AS, the Belgian spoke about a subject he knows well, one of the many laurels of his career: the 25 October 1972, in Augustin Melgar Velodrome di Mexico City, the record arrived with the distance of 49,432 km, 779 meters in addition to the one signed by the 10 October 1968 from Danish Old Knight before 51,151 km reported, always in the same location, by Francesco Moser since 1984. From 7 October 2022 instead the following applies 56,792 km di Filippo Gana: since then, practically no attempt to overcome a very high bar, and for Merckx the time has come for at least one of pogacar ed evenepoel take on this challenge, each with their own characteristics. "The Slovenian is the best, the most complete, while the Belgian has incredible aerodynamics. It would be great if they could take on this challenge."

Who knows if the two, opponents in the Classics before returning to face each other at Tour de France 2025, will accept the invitation: in the meantime Merckx, in the full climate of amarcord for his first 80 years, recalls his attempt and reveals some background information. "The hour record was a goal of mine, without which my career would not have been complete. At the end of the 1972 I felt a bit tired, I was not in shape, but after weeks of specific preparation in Italy I recovered. We crossed theAtlantic up to Mexico. Everything went well, but I suffered a lot. After that effort, I could barely walk for a week." From the glorious past of Merckx to the present equally glorious as pogacar, the big favourite to win the Tour de France 2025. "What I like about him is that he really tries to win, he never backs down. He goes for the win, and that's nice. Sometimes it reminds me of what I was trying to achieve. He's clearly going to be the guy to beat. What I saw in the spring was impressive." jonas vingegaard allowing: without forgetting to evenepoel, which is a candidate to become something more than just a third wheel in the most anticipated duel of the year. "I hope that vingegaard is going better than at the beginning of the year. It wasn't going very well before the crash at Paris-Nice. evenepoel, who has not run much due to the accident in December, could have energy reserves and freshness. But follow pogacar "In the high mountains it won't be easy for anyone."