Also, Bill Ungar wrote:
As you probably know, European road racers from the late eighties on back, rode
helmetless, and only went so far as to use the hairnet (with or without cloth cap on top),
on rougher roads and cobbles, such as Paris-Roubois.
To which I reply:
Note that is was European professional riders who rode helmetless.
The amateurs were
required to wear helmets (hairnets). Also, the sudden donning of helmets for
Paris-Roubaix may have had less to do with the cobbles and more to do with the requirement
for pros to wear helmets when racing in Benlux countries. At least that's what I recall.
Tom Dalton Bethlehem, PA, USA
Bill Ungar replies:
You are absolutely, right - I do remember old black and white photos of amateur racing in Europe (especially the younger riders) wearing hairnets - not to mention a tendancy for British pro and amateur riders to wear hairnets in all types of road races.
And I have to say it was purely a long standing assumption on my part, why pro riders would wear hairnets during the cobbled classics - perhaps Belgium and Luxumberg required they be worn precisely because of the added risk in these classics of of wet, and muddy cobbles in the winter months?
PS I still see what may be the legacy of pro riders riding helmetless. Pro riders I encountered in Palos Verdes readying for the Tour of California - were riding this way - I wonder if there is an element of "I'm experienced, and less apt to fall than the average less experienced rider", or a machismo factor "my life is not as important as my team".?
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