Which Belgian five-time Tour winner was nicknamed The Cannibal?

Eddy Merckx was the Belgian five-time Tour de France winner nicknamed “The Cannibal.”

Merckx earned the nickname because of his relentless appetite for victories. French cyclist Christian Raymond reportedly coined it to describe how Merckx seemed unwilling to let rivals win, whether the contest was a stage race, a one-day classic or a championship.

He won the Tour de France in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1974. His dominance extended beyond the overall title: he also won numerous stages and other classifications, including the points classification and mountains classification during his career.

Merckx’s wider record explains why he is often regarded as one of cycling’s greatest riders. He won five Giro d’Italia titles, one Vuelta a España, three world road championships and hundreds of professional races. The other Belgian names listed were major cyclists, but none matches Merckx’s combination of five Tour victories and the famous Cannibal nickname.