Born in Belgium in 1945 Eddy Merckx is regarded by many as the greatest and most successful cyclist of all-time. He was known for a racing style that consisted of attacking constantly, which helped earn him the nickname of "The Cannibal". He would spend a day in a breakaway only to follow it up with yet another significant attack the following day. Due to his dominance in the sport some cycling historians refer to the period in which he raced as the "Merckx Era".

The other names mentioned; Hinault, Anquetil, Indurain were ALL 5 time winners of the Tour de France and legends in the sport.

Note: If you watch the Tour de France, which as of this writing is in the 4th of 21 Stages, you might get a glimpse of Merckx as he regularly visits the awards ceremonies at the end of each day.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org