September 12, 2012 by Irish Peloton

Merckx on Mastermind

A couple of weeks ago, there was a contestant on BBC’s Mastermind show whose specialist subject was ‘The Life and Career of Eddy Merckx’. Below is the list of questions that were asked. Some are easy enough but others are really tough.

It’s just for fun, but see if you can beat the Mastermind contestant who got a score of nine. I’ll reveal the answers in a few days.

1. Which Brabant village was the birthplace of cyclist Eddy Merckx in June 1945?
Meensel-Kiezegem

2. How many Tour de France cycle races did he win in his professional career equaling the record set by the French rider Jacques Anquetil?
Five

3. What was the name of Merckx’s first professional team, he signed for them in 1965?
Solo-Superia

4. Which major one day classic race did he win for a record seventh time in March 76 and turned out to be his last major victory?
Milan San Remo

5. As well as being awarded the Olympic order for his contribution to the development of cycling in 1996, what other honour was given to Merckx by King Albert II that year?
The title of Baron.

6. At which celebrated one day classic race did Merckx make his professional debut on 29th April ’65?
La Flèche Wallonne.

7. Who was the Belgian rider and the knowledge master of the one day classics who became Merckx’s first team leader, their frosty relationship ensuring Merckx left the team as soon as possible?
Rik van Looy

8. In which Dutch town did Merckx out sprint Jan Janssen and Ramón Sáez to become the UCI road world champion in September 1967?
Heerlen

9. What’s the name of Merckx’s son, born in 1972 who also became a professional racing cyclist?
Axel

10. When Merckx joined the Faema team in 1968, which very experienced rider was chosen as his mentor and room mate?
Vittorio Adorni

11. Merckx got his nickname the Cannibal from the daughter of a former team mate because of his appetite for victories and the way he demolished the opposition, who was the team mate?
Christian Raymond

12. Who was Merckx’s influential team manager at Faema, he died from cancer in 1970?
Vincenzo Giacotto

13. In which year did Merckx gain his only victory in the Spanish Vuelta Grand Tour becoming only the third rider after Jacques Anquetil and Felice Gimondi to win all three Grand Tours?
1973

14. In which city did he break the world one hour record on the 20th October 1972 with a distance of 49.4km?
Mexico City

15. What term for his great talent attributed to the race director and journalist Jacques Goddet is the title of a book about him that includes photographs by Stephan Vanfleteren?
Merckxissimo

#Merckx