On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 17:25:50 +0000, Jim Edgar wrote:

I thought the kidney punch was in the Giro. He also had a lifelong battle
with a back injury from a crash on the track- in, what, 1969? - before he
won any Tours.

I think that back injury was during a motor-paced event --- I thought it
was on the road, but maybe the track, and it was after he had won at least
his first Tour.

The reference I found does not mention the back injury, but says:

"Wearing the Yellow Jersey of race leader, Merckx was riding toward the
unthinkable, a sixth Tour victory. As he climbed to the top of the Puy de
Dome, a French fan punched Merckx in the ribs, briefly disrupting his
breathing. The assault, plus the fact that Bernard Thevenet was riding a
brilliant race, finally defeated the Belgian champion. Merckx would never
win Le Tour again." http://townsleyb.members.beeb.net/procycle/merckxe.htm

--

David L. Johnson

__o | This is my religion. There is no need for temples; no need for
_`\(,_ | complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our
(_)/ (_) | temple. The philosophy is kindness. --The Dalai Lama