Commentary: Helmets at the Tour de France

Although the reputation of this year’s Tour de France was tarnished because of drug scandals, in one area, the cyclists’ behavior was exemplary: helmet wearing. It wasn’t too many years ago that few of these world class cyclists wore helmets. Then the international organizing groups like the International Cyclists’began to require helmets. And the cyclists protested. Once, a decade ago, all the cyclists rode a race without helmets in defiance with the rules. The cyclists complained – the helmets were too hot, they interfered with visibility, and they were heavy. A compromise was reached: cyclists could decide not to wear helmets on climbs and on the flat parts of the course. Only during downhill parts of a race would they be required to wear helmets. But in the last ten years, more and more riders started wearing helmets all the time. Some were required by their teams. Others chose to wear them to prevent head injury. This year – the 2007 edition of the Tour de France – all riders were required to wear helmets all the time. Congratulations to the teams and riders for setting a good example for the rest of the world!

back to Headlines