News last week that the Springs Classics dynamo team Quick Step will be riding Eddy Merckx bikes smells like a Belgian waffle: fragrantly sweet. You have to hand it to The Cannibal. He didn’t become the most celebrated cyclist of his era (and perhaps all-time) by sitting on the back. No, the man attacks. Even at age 64, nearly 30 years after he started his bike company. Specialized, the big American bike brand that has made all the right moves covering the marquee races in April and July apparently made a dicey one in courting Alberto Contador away from Trek. But then again, maybe not. Maybe the entire Astana Team, with added newcomer Ivan Basso, will be atop Specialized bikes in 2010. Full disclosure: I’m an owner of a Roubaix, the very rig that created the “long-distance comfort” category. And I later switched to a 2009 Tarmac Pro (it’s a 2008 S-Works Tarmac with a new wrapper), partly motivated by its use in the Tour of Flanders by hard man Stijn Devolder. Three-time Paris Roubaix winner Tom Boonen’s comments on the brand new Tarmac SL3 won’t have a marketing shelf life beyond New Year’s Day. There’s still Team Saxo, right? And Fabian Cancellara can both ride a time trial and a mean Spring Classic. Bottom line: Seeing a Belgian bike company like that of Mr. Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (aka The Cannibal) ridden by a Belgium-based pro team like Quick Step just seems proper. Quick, call Eddy. The cobbles will be upon us before you know it.
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