Merckx suffers fractured hip in cycling accident

BRUSSELS: Cycling legend Eddy Merckx, widely regarded as the most successful rider in the history of the sport, sustained a fractured hip in a fall from his bike on Monday. The 79-year-old Belgian was cycling with a group near Hombeek, Mechelen, when the incident occurred, according to Belgian media reports.

Merckx, the winner of 11 Grand Tours and three World Road Championships, was the first cyclist to achieve the prestigious Triple Crown. He retired in 1978, leaving behind a legacy of dominance in professional cycling.

“He immediately knew he had something. He felt a lot of pain,” said his wife, Claudine, speaking to reporters.

Merckx has been admitted to a hospital in Herentals, where he is set to undergo surgery. Notably, the same hospital recently treated Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel, a double Olympic champion, for a dislocated collarbone sustained during training.(Reuters)