Eddy Merckx: Photographs from a family album

This collection of intimate and personal images of Eddy Merckx now belongs to the cycling enthusiast and collector Kadir Guirey, but the history of its origin is now somewhat of a mystery. The collection first appeared on Belgian Ebay – had it been offered for sale worldwide, it would probably have been unaffordable.

Kadir, however, placed a bid then sat there sweating, eventually winning it. He tells us that he contacted the seller asking if he had any more information on it; to date, he hasn’t received a reply.

Related. Eddy Merckx: eight pivotal moments of a stellar career

The obvious races depicted are Paris-Nice, the Tour de France, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the 1971 World Championships in Mendrisio and what is possibly the following season’s Het Volk. Many of the riders of the time are featured, including Raymond Poulidor, Roger Swerts, Felice Gimondi, Luis Ocaña and Herman van Springel.

This is not just a collection of photographs, it is a collection of memories.