BREAKING: Eddy Merckx to Be Immortalized on Champs-Élysées with Monumental Statue Honoring Tour de France Legacy
PARIS, FRANCE – In a historic tribute that unites the grandeur of French cycling and the legacy of one of its most legendary conquerors, the city of Paris has announced it will unveil a statue of Belgian cycling icon Eddy Merckx on the Champs-Élysées, the famed finish line of the Tour de France.
The monument, scheduled to be revealed later this summer near the Arc de Triomphe, is being hailed as one of the most significant homages to a non-French athlete in the history of the Tour. Eddy Merckx, known around the world as “The Cannibal” for his relentless dominance, won the Tour de France five times (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974), leaving a legacy that still shapes the sport to this day.
A Statue Where Legends Cross the Line
The placement of the statue along the Champs-Élysées, the cobbled boulevard where champions are crowned each July, is no accident. This is where cycling dreams end — and Merckx’s legend grew. It was Merckx who turned winning into an art form and made the Tour a canvas of suffering, strategy, and supremacy.
According to officials from the Paris City Council and Tour de France organizers, the statue will depict Merckx in his iconic yellow jersey, arms lifted in victory, riding down the final stretch. It will serve as a timeless symbol of athletic excellence and a permanent fixture for millions of fans who gather annually to witness the race’s conclusion.
“Eddy Merckx wasn’t just a cyclist — he was the Tour de France,” said Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour. “Immortalizing him here, in the heart of Paris, is a tribute long overdue.”
A Legacy Beyond Borders
Merckx’s impact on cycling transcends nationality. He won 525 races during his career, including the Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Milan–San Remo (7 times), Paris–Roubaix, and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Yet it is the Tour de France that remains forever linked to his name.
Despite being Belgian, Merckx is revered in France — not only for his victories but for the way he raced: aggressive, fearless, and hungry every day. French fans fondly recall his ferocious climbs in the Alps and Pyrenees, and his domination of both time trials and mountain stages.
Merckx Reacts: “This is Beyond My Dreams”
Now 80 years old, Eddy Merckx released a statement saying he was “overwhelmed” by the honor.
“To have a statue in Paris, at the finish line of the Tour, is beyond my dreams,” said Merckx. “I gave my life to this race. And now it has given something everlasting back to me.”
A Global Gathering Expected
Fans from Belgium, France, and around the world are expected to attend the unveiling ceremony, which will include tributes from former champions, video highlights of Merckx’s greatest moments, and a symbolic ride along the Champs-Élysées by today’s top cyclists.
With this statue, Paris not only honors a legend — it enshrines the spirit of cycling itself.
The Cannibal has come home.
