Rik Van Looy, celebrated as one of the preeminent one-day cyclists in history, passed away at the age of 90, as disclosed by the Belgian cycling federation on Wednesday.

His illustrious cycling career took off in the late 1950s and spanned a remarkable decade, during which he solidified his position as Belgium’s top cyclist before Eddy Merckx emerged on the scene, often regarded as the sport’s greatest competitor.

Merckx paid tribute to Van Looy, describing him as a “super champion” who was not only hard on himself but also on his teammates. “Van Looy never displayed any sign of weakness. He never cracked,” he remarked during an interview with VRT network.

Throughout his career, Van Looy claimed victory in several prestigious monument classics, achieving three wins in Paris-Roubaix, two in the Ronde of Flanders, and single victories in Milan San Remo, the Tour of Lombardy, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Winning all these prestigious events – collectively known as the grand slam – is particularly challenging in cycling, as each race necessitates a distinct set of skills, whether it be sprinting, climbing, or navigating cobblestones.

Only two other cyclists have matched this achievement, fellow Belgian icons Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck.

Van Looy’s reign as a world champion was marked by his triumphs in 1960 and 1961. Despite securing an impressive total of 39 stage wins in Grand Tours, he never achieved an overall victory in the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, or the Vuelta a España.

The Belgian cycling federation reported that Van Looy secured over 450 race victories from the commencement of his professional career in 1953 until his retirement in 1970.