After his victory in the 16th Grand Prix Nokere Sport, Staf Van Roosbroeck did not even know that he had been selected for the Tour of Flanders team. When someone told him that there was a good chance of this happening now that André Dierickx was not there, he furrowed his brow, but did not budge. “Last year I only won one race,” said the Hulshout native. “This is already my second this season. However, it’s not the first time I’ve been in such good shape so early in the season. In 1972, I also had a great start.” Jos Janssens will be happy that he included Staf for Sunday—and also for Paris-Roubaix.

In a very tough race, he proved on Sunday that he can be of great service to the team.

With B. Van Vlierberghe (who was also there again), he forced the decision thirty kilometers from the finish line. Rudi Colman (who was one of the driving forces behind the E3 Prize in Harelbeke on Saturday, but once again failed to shine in the attack in Nokere), Aling, Jos Jacobs, and Roger Verschaeve were with him. Cael (who had been riding very well for several weeks), Dirk Baert, Teirlinck, Van der Helst, and Luc Leman tried to chase down the five. But in vain. From less than half a minute, they fell back to just under a minute. Willy Teirlinck tried to rectify the situation. He closed the gap to a few hundred meters. But Staf Van Roosbroeck immediately saw through it. A few kilometers from the finish line, he pushed a little harder on the pedals. Jan Aling hesitated and was allowed to sprint for second place a little later.

Nokere Sport had to make do with far fewer riders than last year. Last year there were more than 170. Now there are ninety. But a few of them provided plenty of excitement.

Rudi Colman was there right after the start with Van Hulst. Then it was the turn of Lefèvere, Kroep, Poelmans, Kuiper, and Petry, who were joined by Hoban, Desaever, Vandenbroeck, Smit, Thaler, Marcel Jacobs, Teirlinck, Van Uffel, Wesemael, Marc Dierickx, Van Roosbroeck (already on the ball at that point), and Buckaki. Mainly under the impetus of Demeyer, everything came together again after seventy kilometers. In the meantime, the peloton had been severely thinned out.

Thirty kilometers from the finish line, Van Roosbroeck and Van Vlierberghe made their move. Four riders joined them. The rest had to settle for the side roads. After a tough race in which Van Roosbroeck, Van Vlierberghe, Demeyer, Cael, Verschaeve, Van Looy, Dirk Baert, Rudi Colman, and other Alings proved they were ready for the Tour of Flanders.

André Vanheede

Result: 90 professional cyclists

1. Gustaaf Van Roosbroeck the 160 km in 3 h 55 min
2. Jan Aling on 20 sec
3. Jos Jacobs
4. Roger Verschaeve on 35 sec
5. Rudy Colman
6. Albert Van Vlierberghe on 50 sec
7. Willy Teirlinck on 1 min
8. Dirk Baert on 1 min 35 sec
9. Etienne Vanderhelst
10. Luc Leman
11. Eddy Cael
12. Frans Verhaegen
13. Frans Van Looy
14. Jos Gijsemans
15. Wilfried Wesemael
16. Daniel Verplancke
17. Walter Planckaert
18. Frans Van Vlierberghe
19. Barry Hoban
20. Dirk Ongenae
21. Eddy Furniere
22. Carlos Cuyle
23. Marcel Jacobs
24. Geert Malfait
25. René Van Gils
26. André Delcroix
27. Marc Dierickx
28. Johnny Denul
29. Gerben Karstens
30. Tony Houberts