4 Toughest Cyclists Ever

Check out our selection of the toughest guys in the business. Have we missed your favourite? Let us know who and why in the comments.

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The following cyclists didn't just walk the walk, they talked the talk, or maybe it's the other way around. But anyway, these cyclists were tough, make no mistake. Here's who, and here's why. Now we could not include the Cannibal in our list of toughest cyclists, could we? Although, undoubtedly Merckx is one of the finest riders of all time, that doesn't necessarily mean he's one of the toughest. But when you factor in 525 career wins, including five Giros, five Tours, two Vueltas, and three World road titles, it may actually suggest otherwise. Anyway it was the manner of the way he set about winning that sets him apart. Hence the nickname, the Cannibal. Merckx wanted to win every time he got on his bike. Driven by an insatiable appetite for success. And he once said, "The day when I start a race without "intending to win it, I won't be able to look at myself "in the mirror." His style was simple, attack. And generally, when he did, the results were catastrophic for his rivals. As well as immense strength, the grocer's son exemplified a fiery, single minded determination, which was illustrated at its best in the 1974 Giro d'Italia, where in a one particularly hard stage he attacked from the gun in atrocious, awful weather conditions, while still suffering from a bout of pneumonia to topple one of his fiercest rivals Jose Fuentes. And that ride laid the foundation for the win in the overall of the Giro that year, and also it meant that he went on to win the holy grail of cycling, the triple, the Giro, the Tour, and the World championships. Known as the badger, or, Bernard Hinault was as equally renowned for his tempestuous nature as his physical prowess on the bike. During a career that netted him a quite incredible five Tour de Frances, three Giro d'Italias, two Vuelta a Espanias, and a World road title.

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