Podium history of the Tour of Flanders | 1978 edition | 1976 edition

260 km. 167 starters, 26 finishers

Ascents: Oude Kwaremont, Koppenberg, Taaienberg, Eikenberg, Volkegemberg, Varent, Muur van Geraardsbergen, Bosberg

The race: Eddy Merckx was off the front after attacking on the Oude Kwaremont, but was caught and dropped by Freddy Maertens and Roger de Vlaeminck. After the steep Koppenberg many riders changed to bikes without the low gear needed for the climb. Maertens did not take his bike from the team car as the rules required, but from the roadside. Maertens was told he had broken the rules but towed de Vlaeminck to the finish anyway, where de Vlaeminck easily outsprinted Maertens. Maertens was disqualified. Walter Planckaert was positive for Stimul (which it seems many Belgian riders didn't know was banned and could be detected) and Guy Sibille (12th) missed the medical control.

De Vlaeminck said, "I do not care what people might think. When everything is over and forgotten, it is my name and my name alone that will remain engraved on the record of the Tour of Flanders…"

The Ronde van Vlaanderen museum has a line of cobblestones engraved with the name of each winner of "De Ronde". There is an additional stone for 1977 with Freddy Maertens' name, calling him the "moral winner".

Freddy Maertens in 2011

Complete results:

1. Roger de Vlaeminck (Brooklyn) 6hr 44min 0sec. 39.21 km/hr
2. Freddy Maertens (Flandria-Velda-Latina) @ 2sec
3. Walter Planckaert (Maes-Mini Flat) @ 2min 0sec
4. Walter Godefroot (Ijsboerke-Colnago) s.t.
5. Jan Raas (Frisol-Thirion-Gazelle) s.t.
6. Francesco Moser (Sanson) s.t.
7. Michel Pollentier (Flandria-Velda-Latina) s.t.
8. Frans Verbeeck (Ijsboerke-Colnago) s.t.
9. Marc Demeyer (Flandria-Velda-Latina) s.t.
10. Willy Planckaert (Maes-Mini Flat) s.t.
11. Dietrich Thurau (TI-Raleigh) s.t.
12. Guy Sibille (Peugeot-Esso-Michelin) s.t.
13. Hennie Kuiper (TI-Raleigh) @ 2min 48sec
14. Willy Teirlinck (Gitane-Campagnolo) @ 7min 14sec
15. Luc Leman (Ijsboerke-Colnago) s.t.
16. Renato Marchetti (Sanson) s.t.
17. Rik van Linden (Bianchi-Campagnolo) @ 11min 20sec
18. Guido van Sweevelt (Ijsboerke-Colnago) @ 13min 10sec
19. Eric Jacques (Maes-Mini Flat) @ 14min 0sec
20. Piet van Katwijk (TI-Raleigh) s.t.
21. José de Cauwer (TI-Raleigh) s.t.
22. Alfio Vandi (Magniflex-Torpado) s.t.
23. Ludo Delcroix (Fiat) s.t.
24. Ronny Bossant (Brooklyn) s.t.
25. Ferdi van den Haute (Ebo-Superia) s.t.
26. Gary Clively (Magniflex-Torpado) s.t.

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