--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only event that counts is the Tour…" description: "\"The only event that counts is the Tour, it's the only race that all the media go to. It's far more important than it was in my time, but as I see it cy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/eddy-merckx-7014_go_the-only-event-that-counts-is-the-tour-i_1395748.jpg" --- # The only event that counts is the Tour, it's the only race… ![“The only event that counts is the Tour, it's the only race that all the media go to. It's far more important than it was in my time, but as I see it cycling is more than the Tour de France.” quote by Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/eddy-merckx-7014_go_the-only-event-that-counts-is-the-tour-i_1395748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/eddy-merckx-7014_go_the-only-event-that-counts-is-the-tour-i_1395748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed7/eddy-merckx-7014_go_the-only-event-that-counts-is-the-tour-i_1395748.jpg) > “The only event that counts is the Tour, it's the only race that all the media go to. It's far more important than it was in my time, but as I see it cycling is more than the Tour de France.” [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues the Tour de France dominates media attention, yet cycling's significance extends beyond that single race. **In simple terms:** The Tour gets most media, but cycling matters more overall. Key Takeaway Recognize the broader impact of the sport. Themes sports media cycling culture legacy Mood analytical reflective Type critical educational When to use this quote - media coverage analysis - sports promotion - community engagement Key Concepts event hierarchy sporting value Questions to Reflect On - How can lesser‑known races gain visibility? - What defines a sport’s true value? A Different Perspective Media focus can eclipse other important events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cycling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycling/) [Cycling Tour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycling-tour-4877331/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Race Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-media-4304430/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tour France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tour-france-369966/) [Tour Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tour-race-1024074/) ## Related quotes > [I agree it is the most important, but cycling is not only about Tour. If everybody thinks like Armstrong, there will be only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-agree-it-is-the-most-important-but-cycling-is-not-only-about-tour/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I know I'll never feel that sensation of racing and winning again and that took a while to get used to. The Tour was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lemond/i-know-i-ll-never-feel-that-sensation-of-racing-and-winning-again-and/) [Greg LeMond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lemond/) > [Don't get caught up in the hype of the media showing you what they want you to see. The media wants it be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-cowell/don-t-get-caught-up-in-the-hype-of-the-media-showing-you-what-they/) [Larry Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-cowell/) > [I think everyone lifts themselves that little bit extra for the Tour de France, being the pinnacle of our cycling calendar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-froome/i-think-everyone-lifts-themselves-that-little-bit-extra-for-the-tour/) [Chris Froome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-froome/) > [I'm always glued to the Tour de France, with cycling being close to wheelchair racing in terms of technology and how we race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-m-always-glued-to-the-tour-de-france-with-cycling-being-close-to/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [The uptake of people getting involved in cycling is partly down to the big success the team has had in the Tour de France,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hoy/the-uptake-of-people-getting-involved-in-cycling-is-partly-down-to/) [Chris Hoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hoy/) > [Thanks to the Tour de France, riding the Champs-Elysees has a great cycling history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/thanks-to-the-tour-de-france-riding-the-champs-elysees-has-a-great/) [Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/) > [I have contacts with the Tour de France which keep me close to cycling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-hinault/i-have-contacts-with-the-tour-de-france-which-keep-me-close-to-cycling/) [Bernard Hinault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-hinault/) > [Absolutely, in stage races, Froome is better than Eddy Merckx. Maybe he can win five, six Tours de France, but my focus wasn't only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/absolutely-in-stage-races-froome-is-better-than-eddy-merckx-maybe-he/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [After his success in the Tour of Italy and Tour de France in the same year, Pantani certainly made mistakes - but he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/after-his-success-in-the-tour-of-italy-and-tour-de-france-in-the-same/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I have decided to give up competition. I cannot train properly for the Tour de France which I had hoped to ride for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-have-decided-to-give-up-competition-i-cannot-train-properly-for-the/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Everything being equal, no sickness or crashes, there's nobody who can beat Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/everything-being-equal-no-sickness-or-crashes-there-s-nobody-who-can/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Cycling is a sport of the people. How many people in the world have never been on a bike? Not many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/cycling-is-a-sport-of-the-people-how-many-people-in-the-world-have/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Miracles can sometimes happen in cycling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/miracles-can-sometimes-happen-in-cycling/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Cycling is a good school for life. It makes you hard and gives you ambition, but you can never say you've arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/cycling-is-a-good-school-for-life-it-makes-you-hard-and-gives-you/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) ## More by Eddy Merckx > [You need talent as a rider and I think I had that in my genes. But I think I also had a talent for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/you-need-talent-as-a-rider-and-i-think-i-had-that-in-my-genes-but-i/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Absolutely, in stage races, Froome is better than Eddy Merckx. Maybe he can win five, six Tours de France, but my focus wasn't only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/absolutely-in-stage-races-froome-is-better-than-eddy-merckx-maybe-he/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I didn't win any bunch sprints. But I won in solo breakaways, I won time-trials, I won in the mountains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-didn-t-win-any-bunch-sprints-but-i-won-in-solo-breakaways-i-won/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I always had and I still have that special desire in me to be the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-always-had-and-i-still-have-that-special-desire-in-me-to-be-the-best/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I'm not saying that every time I race I go to the very limit of my strength. But when the opportunity appears I consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-m-not-saying-that-every-time-i-race-i-go-to-the-very-limit-of-my/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I can tell you I preferred my era. Yes, they make much more money now but I preferred my cycling. The passion for racing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-can-tell-you-i-preferred-my-era-yes-they-make-much-more-money-now/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I sleep very well, thank you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-sleep-very-well-thank-you/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Doping has to be fought, cheats must be unmasked, abuse should be punished but all this should remain human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/doping-has-to-be-fought-cheats-must-be-unmasked-abuse-should-be/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [It's difficult for him, carrying the name. But Axel is doing what he likes to do, and for me, if Axel's happy, I'm also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/it-s-difficult-for-him-carrying-the-name-but-axel-is-doing-what-he/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Cycling is a good school for life. It makes you hard and gives you ambition, but you can never say you've arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/cycling-is-a-good-school-for-life-it-makes-you-hard-and-gives-you/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [The most important thing is that you're the best of your generation and I can say that I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-re-the-best-of-your-generation/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Sometimes it's strange being me. I travel the world meeting people, I'm surrounded with friends and my life is full, but all the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/sometimes-it-s-strange-being-me-i-travel-the-world-meeting-people-i-m/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [I think I was three or four when I first rode and four when I first crashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/i-think-i-was-three-or-four-when-i-first-rode-and-four-when-i-first/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [No sport is 100 per cent clean - I think 95 per cent of the cyclists are clean. In the normal world, not everybody is clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/no-sport-is-100-per-cent-clean-i-think-95-per-cent-of-the-cyclists/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) > [Miracles can sometimes happen in cycling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-merckx/miracles-can-sometimes-happen-in-cycling/) [Eddy Merckx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) [Explore all 95 Eddy Merckx quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-merckx/) ## More Cycling quotes > [I like to sit down, relax, have a cup of coffee on the terrace and read a book. I like to travel the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/i-like-to-sit-down-relax-have-a-cup-of-coffee-on-the-terrace-and-read/) [Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/) > [I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel...the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-b-anthony/i-stand-and-rejoice-every-time-i-see-a-woman-ride-by-on-a-wheel-the/) [Susan B. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-b-anthony/) > [“The range and diversity of...places in England with character or charm is often overlooked. A bicycle more than anything else helps one both to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-alderson/the-range-and-diversity-of-places-in-england-with-character-or-charm/) [Frederick Alderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-alderson/) > [I've always been a keen cyclist, I'm very close to the world of cycling. Not just cycling really - also walking, adventures, being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/i-ve-always-been-a-keen-cyclist-i-m-very-close-to-the-world-of/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [My life, since I was 12-years-old, has revolved around some sort of sport, mainly cycling, so when I'm unable to ride my bike I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-backstedt/my-life-since-i-was-12-years-old-has-revolved-around-some-sort-of/) [Magnus Backstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-backstedt/) > [I love cycling, I do it all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-canseco/i-love-cycling-i-do-it-all-the-time/) [Josie Canseco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-canseco/) > [At that age, it's one of the worse things in the world to wake up and not see your bike where you left it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/at-that-age-it-s-one-of-the-worse-things-in-the-world-to-wake-up-and/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [Road cycling, especially up mountains. It's the heady mixture of endorphins and aesthetics that I love. My wife does it too, and being with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/road-cycling-especially-up-mountains-it-s-the-heady-mixture-of/) [Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/) > [Ive had so many experiences in cycling, but in some ways I have nothing left to prove. I have achieved more than I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-hughes/ive-had-so-many-experiences-in-cycling-but-in-some-ways-i-have/) [Clara Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-hughes/) > [Cycling has been my passion throughout my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fogel/cycling-has-been-my-passion-throughout-my-life/) [Bryan Fogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fogel/) > [If you knew the pain I had in my legs...what suffering! I couldn't wait to get to the hotel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-voeckler/if-you-knew-the-pain-i-had-in-my-legs-what-suffering-i-couldn-t-wait/) [Thomas Voeckler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-voeckler/) > [With cycling, I can still be active and compete, and ultimately, that's what I love to do, to be competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oksana-masters/with-cycling-i-can-still-be-active-and-compete-and-ultimately-that-s/) [Oksana Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oksana-masters/) > [I love indoor cycling - it has made a really big difference. I feel a lot skinnier. It's kind of the ultimate cardio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bosworth/i-love-indoor-cycling-it-has-made-a-really-big-difference-i-feel-a/) [Kate Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bosworth/) > [My buddy lost about 100 pounds cycling. He took me on a 31-mile loop. I was hooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-christensen/my-buddy-lost-about-100-pounds-cycling-he-took-me-on-a-31-mile-loop-i/) [Erika Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-christensen/) > [Cycling is not impactful. Its just like when you are injured, have a knee surgery or something, there are so many things that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-armstrong/cycling-is-not-impactful-its-just-like-when-you-are-injured-have-a/) [Kristin Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-armstrong/) [Browse all 345 Cycling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only event that counts is the Tour, it's the only race that all the media go to. 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