1977 Freddy Maertens - Super Prestige Pernod

Freddy Maertens was the best rider of the 1977 season, as underscored by his Super Prestige Pernod award. From Paris-Nice to the Tour of Lombardy, the regularity criterion covers a long list of one-day races and tours. So, whoever wins this world-cup-in-the-making is, therefore, someone really quite special. Freddy Maertens won the Omloop Het Volk in 1977, but above all a series of stages and final rankings in various Tours. The icing on the cake was his legendary Vuelta. The Tour of Spain features 21 stages, including the prologue and the double stages. Freddy won as many as 13! After 10 days of racing, only two other riders were able to claim a stage win. Freddy Maertens rode wearing the yellow leader's jersey from start to finish. He also won the points classification. In the final tally of the Super Prestige Pernod, he managed to beat both Roger De Vlaeminck and Bernard Hinault.