 The Men 's Individual Road Race of the 1974 UCI Road World Championships cycling event took place on August 25 in Montreal , Canada . The route consisted of twenty @-@ one laps around a circuit that contained two climbs within it , totaling to a length of 262 @.@ 5 km ( 163 @.@ 1 mi ) . Belgian Eddy Merckx won the race , while French riders Raymond Poulidor and Mariano Martínez finished second and third , respectively . This was Merckx 's third victory in the men 's road race at the UCI Road World Championships , equaling the record . In addition , he also completed the Triple Crown of Cycling , which consists of winning two Grand Tour races and the men 's road race at the UCI Road World Championships in a calendar year . 
