BrusselscTypeface:> Belgian cycling great Eddy Merckx underwent emergency bowel surgery at the end of March, newspaper Het laatste Nieuws reported on Saturday. The five-times Tour de France winner was taken to the emergency room of the hospital in Jette on March 26, the report added. The 78-year-old was immediately operated on and a large part of his bowel was removed. Merckx, who has lost a lot of weight, has since returned home. Merckx told the newspaper he had woken up with unbearable pain and was taken to hospital by his wife. The Belgian is the most successful professional cyclist in history.In addition to his five Tour victories, he also won the Giro d’Italia five times. He also became world champion three times and won numerous classics such as Paris-Roubaix, Milan-Sanremo and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Merckx has repeatedly struggled with health problems in the past. In 2013, he was fitted with a pacemaker due to a heart defect. In 2019, he worried his fans when he injured his head in a crash on his bike and had to be hospitalized for several days. (DPA)
