Date: | 31 March 1974 |
Stages: | 1 |
Distance: | 256 |
Unit: | km |
Time: | 6h 10' |
Speed: | 41.514 |
First: | Cees Bal |
First Nat: | NED |
First Team: | Gan–Mercier |
Second: | Frans Verbeeck |
Second Nat: | BEL |
Second Team: | Maes–Watneys |
Third: | |
Third Nat: | BEL |
Third Team: | Flandria–Carpenter |
Previous: | 1973 |
Next: | 1975 |
The 58th running of the Tour of Flanders cycling race in Belgium was held on Sunday 31 March 1974. Dutchman Cees Bal won the classic ahead of Frans Verbeeck and Eddy Merckx.[1] [2] The race started in Ghent and finished in Meerbeke (Ninove).
A group of 40 was formed after the Oude Kwaremont, further reduced on the Muur van Geraardsbergen. At six kilometers from the finish Cees Bal broke clear from the group, powering on to the victory in Meerbeke.[1]
There were seven categorized climbs:
valign=top align=left width=25% |
| valign=top align=left width=25% |
|
Cyclist | Team | Time | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gan–Mercier | 6h 10' 00" | ||
2 | Watneys–Maes | + 19" | ||
3 | Flandria–Carpenter | s.t. | ||
4 | Molteni | s.t. | ||
5 | Mic–Ludo | s.t. | ||
6 | Flandria–Carpenter | + 0'45" | ||
7 | Bic | +0'51" | ||
8 | IJsboerke–Colner | s.t. | ||
9 | Brooklyn (cycling team) | s.t. | ||
10 | Mic–Ludo | + 1' 23" |
Note: third-place finished Walter Godefroot tested positive for doping after the race and was disqualified, moving Merckx up to third.