Celebrations

 At the height of his powers

Eddie Merckx in the 1981 Giro d'Italia

By chance, I noticed that, yesterday, Wednesday 17 June was the 75^th birthday of Eddie Merckx. Not being a sports fan of any description, not Belgian and certainly knowing nothing of competitive cycling, even I am familiar with the name Eddie Merckx from the past. Always referred to in glowing terms as the greatest competitive cyclist in the world ever, his fame was as huge as his talent and his name still causes respect and recognition.

Around the beginning of his fame.

The more mature Eddie. 

Edouard Louis Joseph Merckx was born in Meensel-Kiezegem, Brabant on 17 June 1945 as the world was shuddering to a halt from the Second World War. In his long career, beginning in 1961 and ending on his retirement on 18 May1978, he won countless major races like the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. In fact he became a world-beater in both spheres of cycling competition; both in the Grand Tours and in the one day Classics, demonstrating both strength and speed; equally capable of final bursts of energy and speed, and the necessary endurance to keep up the winning pace for days. He was driven to succeed and, after retirement, was most successful in coaching the Belgian national team for eleven years, until 1996.

He has been garlanded with honours during his life, though perhaps the chief one to savour was when King Albert 11 bestowed the title of Baron on him in 1996. Sarkozy made him Commandeur de la Legion d’Honneur in 2011 while Italy made him a Cavaliere and Pope John Paul blessed Eddie in Brussels in the 1990s. He has experienced health problems during recent years: in 2013 he had a pacemaker fitted for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and was hospitalised on October 13 2019 after suffering a haemorrhage and falling, unconscious, from a cycle while riding.

So glad that I noticed the birthday item in the BBC News; I feel I have always known and respected the name Eddie Merckx but never knew anything much about him. My blog actually, incidentally, expands my knowledge little by little, even as I have to work harder to remember stuff!!

Lockdown here continues in a relaxed form so that cautious socialising has begun!! The blackbird, aka, MY blackbird, came back after a sad two day cessation of music for me, and frankly, the soundtrack of my social distancing and staying home alone, has been the sweet melodious outpouring from this exquisite feathered musician who visits my terrace regularly and frequently, every day. It may be the musing of a self-centred soul but it does feel like a daily gift!

I did begin with a birthday so will end by noting two. Today, that of my elder daughter in California, celebrating last evening to coincide with Father's Day when there was leisure enough from the straitjacket of Working From Home. And tomorrow, the 19th birthday of my middle grand-daughter. Not now aware of celebrations allowed in the U.K. but hope rides high!