<prompt> Bhala ukuqhubeka kwalesi sigaba - I-UCI Road World Championships  <response>: zabanjelwa eBarcelona, eSpain ngo-1973 futhi zalwelwa esifundeni saseMontjuich. Phakathi nomjaho wasemgwaqweni, uMerckx wahlasela sekusele amakhilomitha ayikhulu. Ukuhamba kwakhe kwaphawulwa nguFreddy Maertens, uGimondi, no-Ocaña. UMerckx wahlasela emzuliswaneni wokugcina, kodwa wadonswa abagibeli abathathu. Kwaba umjaho phakathi kwalaba abane, lapho uMerckx afika khona ekugcineni futhi uGimondi efika kuqala. Ngemva komjaho wasemgwaqweni, uMerckx wanqoba iParis-Brussels yakhe yokuqala neGrand Prix des Nations. Unqobe imilenze yomibili ye-À travers Lausanne, kanye neGiro di Lombardia, kodwa ukuhlolwa kwe-doping okuhle kwamenza wangafaneleka. Wavala isizini enokunqoba okungaphezu kwamashumi amahlanu. 