E3 Prijs Harelbeke podium history | 1977 edition | 1979 edition

Freddy Maertens racing with Jan Raas in the 1977 Het Volk

The race: A Harelbeke factory owner who married the day before the race offered Freddy Maerten's 80,000 Belgian Francs if he would win the race.

Maertens escaped on the Oude Kwarement climb with TI-Raleigh ace Jan Raas (who would go on to win this same race three years in a row). Maertens offered to split the 80,000 Francs with Raas if Raas would let Maertens win the race.

Thus, Maertens was able to win and give the factory owner his wedding present.

Complete results:

230 kilometers raced at an average speed of 40.588 km/hr

97 starters and 44 classified finishers.

1	Freddy Maertens	Flandria-Velda	5hr 40min
2	Jan Raas	TI-Raleigh	@ 8sec
3	Ronald De Witte	Sanson-Campagnolo	44"
4	Etienne Van der Helst	C & A	s.t.
5	Walter Planckaert	C & A	2'30"
6	Marc Demeyer	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
7	Johnny Van der Veken	Old Lords-Splendor	s.t.
8	Piet Van Katwijk	TI-Raleigh	s.t.
9	Walter Godefroot	Ijsboerke-Gios	s.t.
10	Ronny Van de Vijver	Old Lords-Splendor	s.t.
11	Jozef Jacobs	Ijsboerke-Gios	s.t.
12	René Dillen	C & A	s.t.
13	Herman Van Springel	Marc-Zeepcentrale	s.t.
14	Willy De Geest	Sanson-Campagnolo	s.t.
15	Michel Pollentier	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
16	Pol Verschuere	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
17	Rudy Colman	Mini Flat-Boule d'Or	s.t.
18	Ludo Peeters	Ijsboerke-Gios	s.t.
19	Hennie Kuiper	TI-Raleigh	s.t.
20	Willy Planckaert	C & A	3'10"
21	Gerrie Knetemann	TI-Raleigh	s.t.
22	Luc Leman	Marc-Zeepcentrale	s.t.
23	Herman Van der Slagmolen	Sanson-Campagnolo	s.t.
24	Franky De Gendt	TI-Raleigh	s.t.
25	Herman Beysens	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
26	Guido Van Sweevelt	Ijsboerke-Gios	s.t.
27	Dirk Ongenae	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
28	Ronny Bossant	Sanson-Campagnolo	s.t.
29	Frank Van Impe	C & A	s.t.
30	Hugo Van Gastel	Carlos-Galli	s.t.
31	Co Moritz	Bode Deuren	s.t.
32	Alan McCormack	Old Lords-Splendor	s.t.
33	Lieven Malfait	Avia-Groene Leeuw	s.t.
34	Eric Jaques	Mini Flat-Boule d'Or	s.t.
35	Roger Verschaeve	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
36	Eddy Peelman	Zoppas-Zeus	s.t.
37	Wim Myngheer	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
38	Fridolin Keller	Bode Deuren	s.t.
39	Frank Arijs	Carlos-Galli	s.t.
40	Hendrik Devos	Flandria-Velda	s.t.
41	Etienne De Beule	C & A	s.t.
42	Carlos Cuyle	Marc-Zeepcentrale	s.t.
43	Alain Desaever	Marc-Zeepcentrale	s.t.
44	Ad Prinsen	Bode Deuren	s.t.