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<\/p>\nHow are 29-year-old safety standards applicable to the mass market fit for purpose in the pro peloton? CPA president Adam Hansen calls for urgent change.<\/p>\n
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(Photo: Gruber Images )<\/p>\n
Updated August 17, 2026 02:58AM<\/p>\n
Helmet safety standards are under the spotlight after the tragic death of Finlay Tarling<\/a> at the Volta a Portugal<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 19-year-old pro died on Friday after he collided with a vehicle that entered the course and was traveling against the flow of the race.<\/p>\n Speaking to the BBC Sport and then to Velo, Adam Hansen, president of the CPA riders\u2019 group, called for the UCI to urgently review its use of helmet safety standards that are not fit for purpose.<\/p>\n The pro peloton currently rides with helmets manufactured under the same 29-year-old standards applied to commuters and recreational riders.<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing we have to look at is helmets. They need a major upgrade,\u201d Hansen told BBC Sport<\/a> this weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cBike helmets [in racing] only need to meet standard testing like all helmets. EU standard CE EN 1078 is only rated for 19.5kph. I do not believe this is enough for road racing,\u201d Hansen said.<\/p>\n The CE EN1078 is a European safety standard that was published in 1997. It mandates that all helmets sold in the UK and EU can pass a set of standardized tests covering shock absorption, retention, and coverage. CSPC 1203 is an equivalent standard applied to helmets sold in the U.S., albeit with more stringent test criteria.<\/p>\n Additional safety features such as MIPS anti-rotation technology are not mandatory under CE EN 1078.<\/p>\n How do safety standards applied to recreational riders make sense in the pro peloton?<\/p>\n The CE EN 1078 is clearly inappropriate in a pro peloton that moves at 50kph.<\/p>\n Hansen told Velo that the UCI should require more stringent helmet standards to ensure rider safety.<\/p>\n \u201cRacing cyclists travel much faster than people riding to work. The risk is so much higher,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a point that we must look into in [UCI safety group] SafeR.\u201d<\/p>\n Hansen said he was urging the UCI to review its helmet standards far before Tarling\u2019s terrible death, but to no avail.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the equipment commission and during SafeR, I have brought up the issue about helmets\u2019 low standards for over two years now,\u201d Hansen told Velo.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes there needs to be a tragedy before a change,\u201d he added, referring to Tarling\u2019s death Friday.<\/p>\n Hansen: Helmets must be priority over airbags Racing has moved very fast since CE EN 1078 came into force.<\/p>\n Average speeds are increasing all across the calendar. The recent Tour de France was the fastest on record<\/a> at an average of 43.3kph.<\/p>\n Increased speed leads to increased danger. Crashes are becoming increasingly devastating.<\/p>\n Tarling is the latest tragedy after the recent deaths of Gino M\u00e4der, Andr\u00e9 Drege, Muriel Furrer, and Samuele Privitera.<\/p>\n The UCI has been grappling with how to ensure safety in this rapidly accelerating sport.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Finlay](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2234015375-1-1200x910.jpg\"\/)
Finlay Tarling, pictured here at the 2025 Tour of Britain, died Friday at Volta a Portugal. (Photo: Huw Fairclough\/Getty Images))<\/p>\n