Eddy Merckx

When it’s hurting you that’s when you can make a difference.

There are too many factors you have to take into account that you have no control over. The most important factor you can keep in your own hands is yourself. I always placed the greatest emphasis on that.

I won! I won! I don’t have to go to school anymore.

Cyclists live with pain. If you can’t handle it you will win nothing.

Sometimes it’s strange being me. I travel the world meeting people, I’m surrounded with friends and my life is full, but all the time I am confronted by a young man I have nothing in common with. He is me, but he is not me now. In fact I have been me now for longer than I was him, but no one wants to know about me.

All I got from van Looy and his cronies was ridicule, not one piece of help or advice. They were very unfair, I was still just a naive young boy really. With Peugeot, and es[Simpson]pecially with Tom [Simpson], it was completely different.

Don’t buy upgrades, ride up grades.

Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.