Merckx, a rider so crushingly dominant that he was given the nickname “The Cannibal”, rode with such force that he could appear to be almost tearing his bike apart. Undoubtedly the greatest cyclist of all-time, with a coveted career spanning from 1965-1979, Merckx was a Belgian beast who left his opponents quivering in his wake. On the year he turned pro, he was asked “What are your principal ambitions as a cyclist?”. With zero hesitation, Merckx said “To win the Tour de France and set a new Hour record.”  Well, he accomplished that and much more, winning an unprecedented 525 victories over his glorious eighteen year career.