How MERCKX became the FASTEST man on earth

On October 25, 1972, in the thin air of Mexico City, Eddy Merckx attempted cycling's purest and most brutal test: the Hour Record. Using rare archival color footage, this is the story of the ride that pushed the greatest cyclist alive to his absolute limit. Merckx covered 49.431 km in sixty minutes — obliterating the previous record by nearly a kilometer. He later said the effort cost him more than any race he'd ever ridden, and that he would never attempt it again. His record would stand unbroken for twelve years, until Francesco Moser finally surpassed it in 1984. Even today, Merckx's 1972 ride is remembered as one of the most punishing individual efforts in the history of the sport. #Merckx #HourRecord #ClassicCycling #CyclingHistory #TheCannibal #MexicoCity #1972 #WorldRecord #Cycling