After thoroughly reviewing the design and features of the spectacular time trial helmet that Giro has built for the Visma-Lease a Bike, the UCI approves its use during this 2024 season, although it shows its concern and states that it will undertake a review of the regulations concerning time trial helmets.
A couple of weeks ago, during the time trials of Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice, the Visma-Lease a Bike team was on everyone’s lips after using in both races an innovative time trial helmet, manufactured by the prestigious firm Giro, a brand that joined the sponsors of the Dutch squad at the beginning of the season, but with which the team had been working for some time on the design of this helmet.
Although the brand has claimed that the design of this new helmet, which extends forward for better wind penetration and widens at the back to adapt to the shape of the rider’s shoulders in time trial position and the back line, fully complies with the size limitations set by the UCI, cycling’s top body launched an investigation to ensure that everything was in line with the regulations.
Now, after these last two weeks, the UCI confirms that the use of this new time trial helmet is completely legal and authorizes its use until January 17, 2025. During this year, the helmet should go on sale to the public to receive, from that date, the definitive authorization of use.
In any case, the UCI has expressed its concern that manufacturers are placing increasing emphasis on the aerodynamic design of helmets and fears that they may neglect the safety that helmets must offer.
However, from the outset, both the team and Giro have stated that the new helmet complies with all current standards, including those relating to impact safety.
However, despite the approval of this helmet, the UCI has already announced that it will undertake a review of the regulations for time trial helmets, which will probably mean that it will try to put a stop to this type of design, something that takes us back to the 1990s when the UCI cut short the evolution of the time trial bikes of the time when the designs, with ever stranger shaped monocoque frames, threatened, according to the UCI, to make these bikes lose the essence of what these machines were meant to be.
Source: www.brujulabike.com