Merckx has a new limited edition of their carbon stage racing EM525 road bike to commemorate Eddy’s very first Grand Tour win at the Giro d’Italia fifty years ago this year. Dubbed the Italia50, the special La Maglia Rosa Edition EM525 gets Giro pink accents and details focused on that 1968 victory.
Merckx EM525 limited edition Italia50 road race bike
Merckx bikes all have some direct naming connection to the wins of their namesake – the all-rounder EM525 takes its name from Eddy’s 525 career race wins. So it’s not a big surprise to see a special edition of their stage racing bike now that fifty years have passed since he started winning Grand Tours.
From the side this limited commemorative EM525 is fairly subtle with a black on black paint job, only highlighted by a few pink accents. But for the rider, or those on your wheel, the colors of La Maglia Rosa pop in tasteful splashes of pink, plus Italian Tricolores on the fork legs & seatstays.
A far stretch from the Faema-branded lugegd steel bike that The Cannibal rode through the sun and snow to claim his first of eleven general classification titles in a Grand Tour, one thing that does carry over is a Campagnolo build.
This new rim brake EM525 Italia50 gets a carbon Campagnolo Chorus groupset, a Deda Super Zero cockpit, and Vittoria Corsa 25s wrapped around a set of Campy Bora One 35 carbon wheels in matching Dark graphics.
The complete bike retails for 7500€, and will be available from Merckx dealers starting February 15. Or a frame-only option is also available, if you feel the need to give the limited edition frameset the full Super Record EPS treatment that it might deserve if budget is no limit.
Oh and as a side note, casually mentioned in the commemorative Giro bike’s release, Merckx Bikes hints that they are working on more high-end steel bikes to complement the carbon. Perhaps some new premium bikes will join the Roubaix 70 & Liege 75 that make up their current Columbus Zona steel Heritage Line collection.
