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Paris-Roubaix podium history | 1974 edition | 1972 edition

Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2021: The Little Cannibal Dominates is available as an audiobook here. For the Kindle eBook version, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Photographer John Pierce writes: [Race winner] Eddy Merckx snapped his frameset in the Arenberg Forest section - you can see the bike is clean - he also removed his waterproof arm warmers - hence the clean arms - and a new cap. Photo is by John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK, USA, Asia. ©

The Race:

The 1973 Paris-Roubaix was 272 km long and raced at an average speed of 36.37 km/hr.

There were 138 starters and 35 classified finishers

The first major selection occurred at the Wallers-Arenberg sector of cobbles where a 16-rider lead group emerged.

Then, from out of the Bouvignies pavé it was down to Roger de Vlaeminck and Eddy Merckx. De Vlaeminck had severely injured his arm in Gent-Wevelghem and couldn't hold Merckx's wheel.

That was the race. Merckx rode solo for 44 kilometers to handily win his third Paris-Roubaix.

Here's second-place Walter Godefroot in his Belgian Champions jersey and a light patina of mud.. Photo is by John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK USA Asia. ©

Here's four-time Paris-Roubaix winner Roger de Vlaeminck racing to seventh place in this edition.. He is racing with with 30 stitches in his arm from a crash on the Wednesday before the 1973 Paris-Roubaix. In this 1973 edition he was 7th. Photo is by John Pierce/PhotoSport International UK USA Asia. ©

Here's how Miroir du Cyclisme pictured Merckx during the race.

Eddy Merckx on the cover of L'Equipe on his way to winning in Roubaix.

Complete Results:

1. Eddy Merckx (Molteni) 7hr 28min 43sec

2. Walter Godefroot (Flandria-Shimano-Carpenter) @ 2min 20sec
3. Roger Rosiers (Bic) s.t.
4. Walter Planckaert (Watney-Maes) @ 7min 18sec
5. Freddy Maertens (Flandria-Shimano-Carpenter) s.t.
6. Frans Verbeeck (Watney-Maes) @ 7min 46sec
7. Roger de Vlaeminck (Brooklyn) s.t.
8. Herman van Springel (Rokado) s.t.
9. Régis Delépine (Gan-Mercier) @ 11min 53sec
10. Raymond Poulidor (Gan-Mercier) s.t.
11. Michel Périn (Gan-Mercier) s.t.
12. Julien van Lint (Brooklyn) s.t.
13. Willy van Malderghem (Ijsboerke) s.t.
14. Cyrille Guimard (Gan-Mercier) @ 12min 34sec
15. Ole Ritter (Bianchi) s.t.
16. Sylvain Vasseur (Bic) @ 15min 27sec
17. Georges Pintens (Rokado) s.t.
18. Noël van Clooster (Ijsboerke) s.t.
19. Karl-Heinz Kunde (Rokado) @ 19min 19sec
20. Nemesio Jimenez (KAS) @ 19min 50sec
21. Cees Koeken (Canada Dry-Gazelle) @ 20min 50sec
22. Johnny Schleck (Bic) s.t.
23. Santiago Lazcano (KAS) s.t.
24. Mathijs De Koning (Canada Dry-Gazelle) @ 20min 4sec
25. Jean-Claude Meunier (Peugeot) s.t.
26. Leif Mortensen (Bic) s.t.
27. Tino Tabak (Sonolor) s.t.
28. Gustav van Roosbroeck (Rokado) @ 24min 46sec
29. Luis Ocaña (Bic) @ 25min 44sec
30. Alain Santy (Bic) @ 26min 32sec
31. Hennie Kuiper (Rokado) @ 27min 36sec
32. Alain Nogues (Gitane-Frigecreme) s.t.
33. Robert Mintkiewicz (Sonolor) @ 28min 49sec
34. Alfred Gaida (Rokado) @ 35min 55sec
35. Michel Rocques (Sonolor) @ 36min 9sec