The monument dedicated to former cyclist Eddy Merckx located on Place des Bouvreuils in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, was vandalised.
The Brussels municipality was alerted on Wednesday morning by local residents that the head of the sculpture, created by Stefaan De Croock, had been torn off.
"I immediately sensed a strong emotion in their voices, somewhere between anger and despair," said Mayor Benoît Cerexhe, adding that he was “outraged” by the incident.
The municipality announced that it would file a complaint. Footage from CCTV cameras will be analysed to identify the perpetrator or perpetrators. Restoration of the artwork is also planned as soon as possible, the municipality said.
The monument had been unveiled on 28 March 2019 ahead of the Tour de France’s start in Brussels on 6 July 2019. The Tour de France’s start in Brussels marked the 50th anniversary of his first victory in the race.
