 The seventh lap saw a speed drop by the leading rider and the chasing peloton , allowing Campaner 's advantage to increase back to 2 ' 21 " . The next two laps saw the gap fluctuate a little as the margin stayed around the two @-@ minute mark . During the eleventh lap , Dutch rider Gerard Vianen attacked and managed to get within fifteen seconds of Campaner as the tenth lap ended , with the peloton 1 ' 27 " behind . Vianen joined Campaner during the eleventh circuit as Merckx attacked from behind , along with Gerrie <unk> . During the twelfth circuit , Vianen and Campaner were caught . Shortly after the re @-@ absorption of the duo back into the peloton , Bernard Thévenet attacked and established a 40 " advantage . Campaner retired from the race in the kilometers following being caught , while Vianen retired during the thirteenth lap . 
