The amount of riders who are now sporting aerodynamic helmets is astonishing. A new rule introduced in 2012 has been the team that leads the team’s classification must wear a yellow helmet has certainly ensured the leading team stands out. However Team Sky, who currently lead the classification, have several riders who are wearing these aerodynamic helmets and in yellow, they resemble a builders hat more so than a helmet. David Miller from Garmin-Sharp was wearing a Giro helmet yesterday that had clip-on sunglasses and looked to be almost a track helmet. Lotto-Belisol is another team that is in on this as is Rabobank. Seeing that Cavendish won yesterday wearing one of the monstrous aero helmets the trend may persist a little longer than wished for.
Bradley Wiggins was the national road race champion of the United Kingdom in 2011 and was until last weekend, was wearing the national jersey when racing. As he did not compete In the national road race last weekend he could not defend his title and now wears the standard Team Sky jersey. He is now one of several ex-national champions who are riding for Sky but appears to be the first national champion who is wearing national armbands as is allowed for all ex-national champions. Michael Rogers as a three time ITT world champion was seemingly the first Sky rider to wear any kind of arm band when his ITT skin suit was first decked out with the rainbow bands. Sky has been one of the many teams who in recent years have moved away from recognising past national champions and for their respective reasons, chosen not to adorn the national armbands to their kits. It will be interesting to see if other riders on Sky will receive the same treatment in the future. A rider who wins a national or world champion wears that jersey for the season but is able to for the entirely of their career thereafter to have the arm bands adorn their jerseys. The arm bands ensure a rider is instantly recognisable even if all can be seen is their arm. This a welcome move by Sky and hopefully teams will again honour the national champions on their teams by introducing arm bands.
Bradley Wiggins was the national road race champion of the United Kingdom in 2011 and was until last weekend, was wearing the national jersey when racing. As he did not compete In the national road race last weekend he could not defend his title and now wears the standard Team Sky jersey. He is now one of several ex-national champions who are riding for Sky but appears to be the first national champion who is wearing national armbands as is allowed for all ex-national champions. Michael Rogers as a three time ITT world champion was seemingly the first Sky rider to wear any kind of arm band when his ITT skin suit was first decked out with the rainbow bands. Sky has been one of the many teams who in recent years have moved away from recognising past national champions and for their respective reasons, chosen not to adorn the national armbands to their kits. It will be interesting to see if other riders on Sky will receive the same treatment in the future. A rider who wins a national or world champion wears that jersey for the season but is able to for the entirely of their career thereafter to have the arm bands adorn their jerseys. The arm bands ensure a rider is instantly recognisable even if all can be seen is their arm. This a welcome move by Sky and hopefully teams will again honour the national champions on their teams by introducing arm bands.
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