It was March 15, 1971, at the fair in Retie, the world champion was fatally injured in the race by a car. At just 22 years old, the pelotons’ Thyl Ulenspiegel had the future ahead of him.
It was 50 years ago, to the day. On Monday March 15, 1971 at the end of the afternoon, Eddy Merckx rests in a hotel in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence where the 5th stage of Paris-Nice has just ended with the success of the Dutchman Gérard Vianen. The Belgian kept his white leader’s jersey when his director Guillaume Driessens and journalists entered his room, looking defeated.