Merckx

He was called 'the cannibal' because he seemed to devour his competitors in every race. Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx won everything there was to win on a bike between 1967 and 1975: five Tours de France, five Giros, three World Championships, a Vuelta, a legendary world hour record in Mexico and a whole lot of classics. In less than a decade he became the ultimate icon of cycling. Directors Christophe Hermans and Boris Tilquin offer a new, fresh look at the phenomenon Merckx. In this documentary, completely composed of archive footage, all the highs and lows of his often described career are of course discussed. But Merckx is more than a list of victories and crashes. The sometimes previously unseen material also sketches an exceptional period in which cycling was in transition. And thanks to the compelling dramatic structure, a layered portrait of a man with unique resilience is created. Where does this will to constantly surpass himself come from? How did he keep cycling when adoration turned into division? Hermans and Tilquin show the inspiring person behind the legend, and tell a universal story about willpower and how you can overcome the greatest obstacles with it.