Not even a last-minute equipment ban could stop Josh Tarling from winning Tuesday’s time trial at the UAE Tour, albeit with a different visor than planned.
Originally reported by Velo, the race jury issued a notice less than 24 hours before the stage, prohibiting the use of the flared Kask Aero Pro Visor.
The jury communique read: “The Commissaires Panel informs all Sports Directors that the Equipment Commission of the UCI prohibits the use of the following kinds of visors of the following brand, Kask.
“Therefore, the riders who do not have a different helmet shall take the start without those visors for tomorrow’s stage.”
Approached for comment on the visor's ban, a Kask spokesperson told Cycling Weekly: “We received the communication from the UCI regarding the ban of the KASK Aero Pro Visor and KASK Aero Pro Visor 2.0 less than 24 hours before the time trial at the UAE Tour.
“Despite the very short notice, we took immediate action to comply with this communication, working closely with the race commissioners. We have always supported the UCI and complied with their regulations, and we always will.”
Tarling, and his Ineos Grenadiers teammates, ended up using standard visors with their Kask Bambino TT helmets, which the team had at hand. The visors are designed to attach magnetically, making a swap easy to carry out.
“We found a good resolution,” said Oli Cookson, Ineos Grenadiers sports director, “especially with the chief commissaire here, who’s been incredible working with us.
“We’re always looking to work within the rules and also to push the sport forward, and that will be with our sponsors and materials as well. I think there’s always that balance.”
Kask originally launched its Aero Pro Visor in 2022, before redesigning it for 2024, with larger flared wings. According to the brand, the new design “further reduce[s] aerodynamic drag compared to previous versions”.
It was used at last year’s Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España, with no complaints from the commissaires.
When the late decision was announced to ban the visor at the UAE Tour, Ineos Grenadiers faced a scramble to reconfigure their set-ups. “Let’s just say we were the swan’s legs, and the riders were the swan above the water,” Cookson said.
“Everything was managed around that. There’s a lot of good people in the team, and we had options in place.”
The UCI issued a clampdown on helmet designs last year, banning the ‘head sock’ integrated into Specialized’s TT5 helmet. This was done in line with regulation 1.3.033, which prohibits “non-essential” components.
The full rule reads: “Items of clothing may not modify the morphology of the rider and any non-essential element or device, of which the purpose is not exclusively that of clothing or protection, is forbidden.”
The UCI also announced in March last year that it would undertake a review of its rules around helmet design, in light of a “significant issue” whereby manufacturers were focusing “more on performance than the primary function of a helmet”. No update has been released.
