Merckx

Portrait of living legend Eddy Merckx, the greatest cyclist of all time.

'The cannibal' he was called, because in every race he seemed to devour his competitors with skin and hair. Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx won everything there was to win on a bicycle between 1967 and 1975: five Tours of France, five Giro's, three World Championships, a Vuelta, a legendary world endurance record in Mexico and a host of classics. In less than a decade, he became the ultimate icon of cycling.

Directors Christophe Hermans and Boris Tilquin offer a new, fresh look at the Merckx phenomenon. In this documentary, composed entirely of archive footage, all the highs and lows of his oft-described career pass by. But Merckx is more than a list of victories and falls. The sometimes never-before-seen material also sketches an exceptional era in which cycling was in transition. And the compelling dramatic structure creates a layered portrait of a man with a unique resilience. Where did this will to constantly outdo himself come from? How did he keep cycling when adoration turned to discord? Hermans and Tilquin reveal the inspiring man behind the legend, and tell a universal story about willpower and how it can be used to overcome the greatest obstacles.