Eddy Merckx says goodbye to his best friend “with pain”: “Made to live to be 100, but things went badly in recent weeks”

He was the heir to the throne and briefly a competitor, but later mainly a bosom friend. Cycling legend Eddy Merckx also mourns the death of Rik Van Looy. “I encouraged him this week,” he says.

The careers – including the necessary rivalry – of Eddy Merckx and Rik Van Looy only overlapped briefly, but the mutual respect was still great.

“Rik was a very great champion,” says Merckx, the only Belgian rider with more victories than Van Looy. “An absolute icon of cycling. His record is incredible. And he was also one of the founders of the Flemish Cycling School in Herentals. He has done a lot for our sport.”

In 1965 Merckx and Van Looy were teammates for a while, but afterwards they became competitors.

“As a teammate, the contact was not that good,” Merckx laughs honestly. “I came from Brussels, he from Antwerp… Moreover, we were different riders.”

“At the beginning of my career he was very difficult to compete with, I had to fight hard against him. Rik was a super champion who was almost unbeatable in the classics. I am happy that I was able to race against him.”

He knew during his last weeks that things would end badly, but Rik still called me when I was in the hospital after my fall.

Eddy Merckx

After their careers, the cycling legends maintained a warm bond of friendship. Merckx and Van Looy often had something to eat together or called each other regularly.

“There has been good contact with Rik and his family, especially in recent years,” said Merckx. “We went out for dinner a few times. The last time was last winter in a restaurant not far from here. At that time there was no indication that he was ill.”

“It was only in the last month that things quickly deteriorated for him. He knew during his last weeks that things would end badly, but Rik still called me when I was in the hospital after my fall.”

“A few days ago I encouraged him myself. (sighs) It hurts me. Rik – a great champion and human being – was made to live to be 100 years old.”