Present time. There is wine from France and Italy – a toast for every overall victory in Tour and Giro — and a cartoon appears from under the wrapping paper. Merckx's career is contained in one drawing. “ Still seeing that they have not forgotten anything ”, Merckx laughs. Meanwhile, son Axel Merckx jumps in. He leaves for Luxembourg for a few days. Roger De Vlaeminck notes that he is better careful “ with those 200,000 cars out there. ”
Roger, you even named your son after Eddy. Eddy De Vlaeminck.
The Vlaeminck: “ Why not? He was the best in the world. And I thought: if he ever becomes a driver, he already has a name with which he can move forward. But he played soccer, and I had him done. He must do his best. ”

Merckx: “ I thought that was special. Call his son after me. That is, he still admired, respected me. ”
After your difficult start, could you get along better and better?
Merckx: “ During the career we did not give each other many gifts. Remember, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 1970? With Erik? We went to the Rocourt slope with about five or six ... ”
The Vlaeminck: “ The road to the slopes was only two meters wide. ( laughter ) In the bend I went right. Erik, my brother, remained left. He detained Eddy for two seconds and I was gone. And I afterwards: “ Is it true, Eddy? Can't you run well? ”
Merckx: “ Then I was disappointed, yes. And in Yvoir ( World Cup 1975, ed. ) also. I had sacrificed a whole course for him here. He had been hanging on my pants all day. So much so that Knetemann came to drive next to me: ‘ You are Merckx, what is it now? ’ But I fell early and thought I would do well. I complained about that. In retrospect, he claimed here that I had done it. I did not think that was correct. ”
The Vlaeminck: “ Because ge Kuiper ( later world champion, ed. ) let it run. ( to us ) I think he would rather I didn't win. ”
Merckx: “ But I was broken. And I don't lie. Otherwise I will not let you hang on my pants. It was your own fault. Lucien Van Impe did not ride a meter in the lead that day because you had only called him half before the race. ”
The Vlaeminck: “ While I never said he was half as a driver. I said he was half because he wasn't big. Apparently that was wrong. ”