Grand Prix Eddy Merckx

Grand Prix Eddy Merckx was a cycle race around Brussels, where Eddy Merckx was born. It was held between 1980 and 2004, disappearing after the creation of the UCI ProTour in 2005. The race was initially an individual time trial, becoming a Team time trial of two riders in 1998. It usually had a duration of 60-70 km, with the 2003 being the shortest at 26 km because of a nearby fire.

Grand Prix/Grote Prijs Eddy Merckx
Poster to the 1993 edition
Race details
DateLate-August
RegionBrussels, Belgium
English nameGrand Prize Eddy Merckx
Local name(s)Grand Prix Eddy Merckx (in French), Grote Prijs Eddy Merckx (in Dutch)
DisciplineRoad race
TypeIndividual Time Trial
Team Time Trial
History
First edition1980 (1980)
Editions25
Final edition2004
First winnerNorway Knut Knudsen
Most winsNorway Knut Knudsen
Belgium Eric Vanderaerden
United Kingdom Chris Boardman
Spain Abraham Olano
Belgium Marc Wauters
Netherlands Erik Dekker
(2 wins)
Final winnerNetherlands Thomas Dekker
Netherlands Koen de Kort

With the introduction of the UCI ProTour in 2005, there were plans to merge the race with Paris–Brussels. This merger was eventually never completed, by which the race disappeared from the calendar.[1]

Winners

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Year Country Rider Team
1980   Norway Knut Knudsen
1981   Norway Knut Knudsen
1982   Belgium Daniel Willems
1983   Belgium Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke
1984   Belgium Claude Criquielion
1985   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden
1986   France Charly Mottet
1987   Belgium Eric Vanderaerden
1988   Belgium Edwig Van Hooydonck
1989   Great Britain Sean Yates
1990   Netherlands Frans Maassen
1991   Netherlands Erik Breukink
1992   Netherlands Jelle Nijdam
1993   Great Britain Chris Boardman
1994    Switzerland Tony Rominger
1995   Belgium Johan Museeuw
1996   Great Britain Chris Boardman
1997   Spain Abraham Olano
1998   Spain Abraham Olano (victory shared with José Vicente García)
1998   Spain José Vicente García (victory shared with Abraham Olano)
1999   Belgium Marc Wauters (victory shared with Erik Dekker)
1999   Netherlands Erik Dekker (victory shared with Marc Wauters)
2000   United States Lance Armstrong
2000   Russia Viatcheslav Ekimov
2001   Belgium Marc Wauters (victory shared with Erik Dekker)
2001   Netherlands Erik Dekker (victory shared with Marc Wauters)
2002   Hungary László Bodrogi (victory shared with Fabian Cancellara)
2002    Switzerland Fabian Cancellara (victory shared with László Bodrogi)
2003   Germany Michael Rich (victory shared with Uwe Peschel)
2003   Germany Uwe Peschel (victory shared with Michael Rich)
2004   Netherlands Thomas Dekker (victory shared with Koen de Kort)
2004   Netherlands Koen de Kort (victory shared with Thomas Dekker)

References

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  1. ^ "Huidige vorm Grote Prijs Eddy Merckx verdwijnt". bruzz.be (in Dutch). 13 January 2005.