2022 Tour de France Helmets Guide

One of the most visible pieces of gear the Tour de France riders use is the helmet, besides their bikes and sunglasses. Many brands are known to release new models just in time for the Tour de France to gain maximum publicity. After all, the Tour de France is the pinnacle cycling race of the year.

When it comes to helmets, the teams are provided with three designs;

• Aero helmets for maximizing aerodynamic gains and speeds. These are typically used on flat and sprint finish stages. They have minimal air vents to allow the air to flow smoothly through the helmet surface.
• Lightweight helmets are all about weight and breathability. They are preferred for hilly and mountainous stages where each gram matters. These helmets have up to 20 air vents to achieve maximum ventilation to cool down the riders.
• Time trial (TT) helmets are only used during time trials. Many models have just a handful of air vents (if any) as the helmet design is for maximizing aerodynamics.

The helmet models worn are the brand’s top-of-the-line models and/or latest offerings. Depending on the brands and models, they can cost anywhere from $200 to $400.

In 2022, there are 16 bike helmet brands present at the Tour de France.

Ekoi and Specialized helmets are worn by three teams each, followed by Abus and HJC with two teams. The only notable helmet brand absent is Bell.