--- product_id: 14681426 title: "Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal" brand: "daniel friebe" price: "440 kr" currency: DKK in_stock: true reviews_count: 12 url: https://www.desertcart.dk/products/14681426-eddy-merckx-the-cannibal store_origin: DK region: Denmark --- # Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal **Brand:** daniel friebe **Price:** 440 kr **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal by daniel friebe - **How much does it cost?** 440 kr with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.dk](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/14681426-eddy-merckx-the-cannibal) ## Best For - daniel friebe enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted daniel friebe brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal ## Images ![Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Rn+eLVAOL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars The Cannibal and Mystic *by R***L on Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2023* Hero to I and many in our American venture into cycling. Great read of the man, who still remains a giant in world athletics. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars All Glory is Fleeting... *by S***R on Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2013* Eddy Merckx was just before my time. I knew the name, of course, but didn't really know much about the man who used to just be called 'The Cannibal.' There are a couple of nice documentaries available on YouTube that center on Merckx, 'Stars and Watercarriers', 'The Greatest Show on Earth', and 'A Sunday in Hell' (although this last one is as much about another Belgian wunderkind, Roger de Vlaeminck...). After watching these a few times, I bought this for my Kindle.The various names of European people and places can get to be a bit much for the uninitiated, it is true... but that seems a small price to pay for the better understanding you come away with after reading the author's account. If I compare and contrast this book with 'Slaying the Badger', I think this is a much more thorough and fair read owing to the fact that Merckx was not consulted and declined to be interviewed. This left the author free to interview the people who knew him best, and the book winds up being less about Merckx the man and more about the Merckx mystique... the phenomenon that was Eddy Merckx and the impact he had on the sport.Merckx was so good initially, he could afford to be utterly ruthless. He didn't need to depend on anyone. Later, after his crash on the track in 1969, the emphasis seemed to be to build the strongest group of riders around Merckx and to increasingly rely upon their talents to bring him to the point where he could attack and win. Still, he was never one to give anything away, insisting that 'You give gifts at Christmas and birthdays, not at bike races.'One of the things I always admired about French champion Bernard Hinault was his willingness to help his team mates win important races in return for their loyalty...The book works hard at giving you a portrait of Merckx that is actually a series of small biographies of the riders, managers, coaches, etc. that knew and worked with or competed against him. This ends up being a very satisfying way of getting at 'Merckx the Phenomenon' if it is less successful at unlocking the essence of 'Merckx the Man.'It's all in this book... the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are reasons why many in the peloton didn't love Merckx, and there are many fine reasons for admiring him. The saddest aspect of the whole account are those final couple of years where he was desperately trying to keep on competing at the highest levels... his use of a banned drug (Stimul), for example. Yet I can only imagine what that must have been like... to have to let go of something that you had been so great at... that everyone - friends and foes alike - admired or hated you for.It reminded me of those stories of Roman conquerors riding in their chariots through the streets of Rome to celebrate their victories, a 'Triumph'... there was always a slave in the chariot holding a laurel wreath above the conquerors' head and whispering in his ear, "All glory is fleeting." Sometimes I've read where supposedly the slave whispers, "Remember, thou art only a mortal."The former to my mind applies to Merckx the Phenomenon and the latter to Merckx the Man. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading, with some effort *by M***S on Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2013* I basically agree with what others have already said; the story itself is entertaining, and I have learned a lot of interesting facts, but the reading experience was quite a lot affected by the peculiar writing style and (lack of?) editing and proofreading. Some of the sentences are just incomprehensible, and even after 3-4 times re-reading it doesn't become clear what the message is. The strange thing is that in some parts of the book the text is actually quite easy to read (in the middle and near the end of the book) - is it maybe so that only parts of the book have been reviewed by an editor? There are plenty of 'unusual', archaic and exotic words used in the book. I didn't mind too much about that, since I could quickly look them up in my Kindle's dictionary, and I even learned some new words along the way! However, with a paper version of the book it might have gotten slightly annoying.The 'eruditeness' in the text, obtained by frequently using 'difficult' sentences and words, is however completely nullified by spelling mistakes and other errors that just should have been avoided (or at least corrected by someone). For example, Herleen should be Heerlen, Valkenberg should be Valkenburg, Martens should be Maertens, and so on and so on. As other example; the author goes through great lengths to knowledgeably explain the subtle differences between Belgium, Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia, but, then on another page apparently he doesn't know there is a difference between Holland and The Netherlands. Stating that Herleen (sic) is in the south of Holland is about as smart as stating that Glasgow is in the north of England - the inhabitants might disagree!Nevertheless, the amount of work behind this book has been enormous, and I really do admire the outcome content-wise. There are plenty things of to learn, and the story itself is gripping at certain moments. I certainly do not regret buying this book, and I can recommend it to anyone interested in cycling history - just be prepared to have bumpy ride now and then. I would give it 3.5 stars (so it gets rounded up to 4 now). --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.dk/products/14681426-eddy-merckx-the-cannibal](https://www.desertcart.dk/products/14681426-eddy-merckx-the-cannibal) --- *Product available on Desertcart Denmark* *Store origin: DK* *Last updated: 2026-04-23*