According to Het Laatste Nieuws, Eddy Merckx underwent emergency surgery for a bowel obstruction in late March. Merckx was then briefly hospitalized at the University Hospital in Yette, near Brussels, before returning home.

The 78-year-old was rushed to the hospital by his wife, Claudine, after experiencing stomach pains on the night of March 26. At 3:00 a.m. that night, he underwent surgery to remove part of his intestine.

Merckx told Het Laatste Nieuws that on the night in question he woke up in extreme pain, but his life was not in danger. After the surgery, Merckx lost a considerable amount of weight, but the newspaper described his recovery as "peaceful."

Merckx, who will turn 79 in June, recently had a mural painted in his birthplace of Meunsel Keesgem. A five-time Tour de France winner, Merckx moved with his family to Sint-Peters Wolwe in Brussels when he was one year old.

The mural depicts Merckx in his Molteni kit, with the number 525 prominently showing his record number of victories.

"I am very honored," Merckx said at the inauguration last month. My parents' house is only 50 meters away. After being involved in the sport for so many years, it's great to receive such a tribute."

"I'm very proud to be a part of this.

"I also ran my first race here when I was 12 years old. I remember the boy I ran to the finish line with caught up to me and won in a sprint."