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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
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Top 20 All Time Major Classics #16
Pollentier’s Final Pop
The favorites of the 1980 Tour of Flanders marked each other very closely into the first of the steep, cobbled climbs. Francesco Moser attacked the brutal Koppenberg with Michel Pollentier and split the field. Several elite groups formed and chased to stay in contention. The peloton came back together entering Geraardsbergen.
On the Muur de Grammont Moser set a hard tempo. Pollentier was the only one to hold Moser’s wheel. Defending champion Jan Raas saw the danger and bridged to the two leaders.
Into Meerbeke Pollentier attacked the breakaway group as Moser and Raas watched each other. The hesitation allowed Michel Pollentier, a native of Flanders, to finally gain the coveted Ronde van Vlaanderen victory.
| Flanders March 30, 1980 |
| 265 Km, St. Niklaas to Meerbeke/Ninove |
1.
Michel POLLENTIER (Bel) 6h36'45" |
2. Francesco Moser (Ita) |
3. Jan Raas (Ned) |
| Starters: 179 |
| Finishers: 46 |
Average Speed: 38.459 km/h |
RVV 1979
RVV 1981
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64th Ronde van Vlaanderen 1980 / Tour of Flanders (Belgium) 
