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Collector Richard Hoddinott owns a small-framed bike identified by Cycling Weekly as an Eddy Merckx team machine from the late Molteni era, probably 1972. The bike’s precise builder, intended rider and race history are not confirmed; a painted mark beneath the bottom bracket offers only a possible clue.
A late-Molteni-era Eddy Merckx team bike, believed by Cycling Weekly to date from around 1972, is in the collection of British collector Richard Hoddinott. The small frame was not Merckx’s own, and its exact builder, rider and race history remain unverified, but the machine may have served a teammate during one of the Belgian star’s most successful seasons.
Cycling Weekly describes the bicycle as clearly belonging to the Eddy Merckx team during its late Molteni period, while presenting 1972 as a likely—not confirmed—date. The report says the frame is too small to have been Merckx’s. It suggests the bike could have been ridden by a supportive teammate, perhaps alongside and then behind Merckx on mountain stages, but does not identify a rider or a particular race appearance.
Hoddinott, who owns The Velo Pages, keeps more than 100 bicycles in a collection that includes historic Tour de France machines and bikes from British time-trial racing. He does not restore his bicycles, preferring to retain their acquired condition. On this machine, that means preserving worn decals, scratches and dirt as part of its visible history.
The bike’s equipment includes Campagnolo components, Cinelli handlebars and stem, and a Unicanitor saddle. Its Campagnolo chainset has drilled chainrings, and Hoddinott singled out the large, irregularly drilled Nuovo Record chainring and the worn Reynolds 531 decals. He described its handling as purposeful and its build as high quality.
A Teammate’s Possible Race Machine
The bicycle’s interest lies in the possibility that it belonged to the working environment around Merckx rather than to the champion himself. If it was used by a Molteni teammate, it could offer a material connection to the team’s racing and support system. That remains a possibility, not a documented account: the report does not establish who rode it, where it was used, or whether it appeared in a specific race.
The uncertainty also shows why preserved condition matters to collectors. A worn decal, unusual chainring or painted workshop mark can prompt research, but none alone proves a precise provenance. Hoddinott’s choice not to restore the bicycle keeps those clues visible while leaving the history open to interpretation.
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The Bike and Merckx’s 1972 Season
Cycling Weekly places the machine in the late Molteni era, when Belgian entrepreneur Fernand Kessels arranged bikes for the team. The report says Kessels supplied bicycles and commissioned work from several high-end frame builders, including Marcel van der Este; it also notes that the team had bikes from Colnago and De Rosa. The account does not definitively connect this particular frame to any one builder.
The likely 1972 date is notable because Merckx won the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France that year, along with Milan–San Remo, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Il Lombardia. Cycling Weekly also lists victories at La Flèche Wallonne and the Trofeo Baracchi, as well as his hour record in Mexico City. These achievements explain the appeal of linking a team bicycle to that season, but they do not confirm that this machine was used in any of those events.
“There’s a unique quality to this bike. The handling is very purposeful; it’s special.”
— Richard Hoddinott, owner of The Velo Pages, as quoted by Cycling Weekly
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Clues Without a Provenance Record
A painted note on the underside of the bottom bracket reads “K V.D. ELST”. Cycling Weekly raises the possibility that “K” refers to Kessels and the remaining letters to frame builder Marcel van der Este, but says the mark could instead identify a shop or a rider for whom the bike was intended after team use. The meaning is unresolved.
The report does not provide a frame serial number, original team inventory, named rider, dated photograph or other record that would establish the bicycle’s maker and use. Its likely 1972 date and possible connection to a teammate’s racing are presented as interpretations. No specific claim that Merckx rode this bike is supported; the report says the frame is too small for him.
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No Further Identification Reported
Cycling Weekly’s account leaves the bicycle’s history open: it does not announce an upcoming sale, authentication, or further investigation. Unless records or additional evidence emerge, the maker, intended rider and race use remain unknown. The painted bottom-bracket note and preserved details may guide future research, but they have not yet established a definitive provenance.
reproduction Molteni team cycling jersey
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Key Questions
Did Eddy Merckx ride this bicycle?
There is no evidence in the report that he did. Cycling Weekly says the frame is too small to have been Merckx’s own bike.
When was the bike made?
The report identifies it as a late-Molteni-era team bike and says it is almost certainly from 1972. That date is not confirmed by a documented record in the report.
Who owns the bicycle?
It is owned by Richard Hoddinott, a collector associated with The Velo Pages. He keeps his bicycles in the condition in which he acquires them rather than restoring them.
What does the marking beneath the bottom bracket mean?
The marking reads “K V.D. ELST”. It may refer to Fernand Kessels and frame builder Marcel van der Este, but Cycling Weekly says it could have another explanation. Its meaning has not been established.
What is known about the bike’s equipment?
The reported components include Campagnolo parts, Cinelli bars and stem, a Unicanitor saddle, and a drilled Nuovo Record chainring. The bike also retains worn Reynolds 531 decals and other signs of age.
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