Merckx monument near Brussels vandalized

A monument dedicated to cycling icon Eddy Merckx in Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, near Brussels, has been vandalized, with reports indicating the head was forcibly removed from the statue. The incident, first reported by VRT, targeted the depiction of Merckx on the monument erected in 2019, coinciding with the Brussels Grand Départ of the Tour de France. This act of desecration leaves a significant local landmark in disrepair.

This defacement of a monument to arguably the greatest cyclist of all time carries a particular sting. Merckx, a native of the region, remains a towering figure in Belgian and international sport, his five Tour de France victories and countless other triumphs forming an unparalleled palmarès. The 2019 monument was a point of immense local pride, celebrating not just his legacy but also the return of the Tour to his home turf. Such an act is not merely vandalism; it's an assault on a cultural touchstone and a national hero.

While the motivations remain unclear, the sheer audacity of decapitating a statue of the Cannibal speaks volumes, though precisely what it's saying is anyone's guess. Some legacies, it seems, are too great for a mere statue to contain.