A quick tour of cycling legends—from Jacques Anquetil and Fausto Coppi to Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault—and why they’re still considered the GOATs.

Greatest Cyclists of All Time (the GOATs of Cycling)

Cycling has been around since the 1860s, and while many athletes have shaped the sport, a few became true legends.

Jacques Anquetil

The first rider to win the Tour de France five times, known for time-trial prowess—earning the nickname “Monsieur Chrono.”

Gino Bartali

Hero on and off the bike—twice a Tour winner and thrice a Giro champion; aided the Italian Resistance during WWII.

Fausto Coppi

World record holder, five-time Giro winner, two-time Tour winner—“Campionissimo,” the champion of champions.

Eddy Merckx

“The Cannibal”—five Giri, five Tours, a Vuelta, seven Milan-San Remo victories, and 65 Grand Tour stage wins.

Sean Kelly

One Grand Tour and nine Monuments across a prolific career in the 1980s.

Bernard Hinault

“Le Blaireau” (“the badger”)—five Tour victories and 147 wins overall, famed for an aggressive racing style.

Road racing cyclists are among the world’s top endurance athletes; these names helped define the sport.