UCI releases further details on the new 2026 road helmet classifications

The UCI has published amended rules this week that further clarify the recently announced 'simplified distinction' helmet ruling, originally announced at the UCI management committee session, which took place during the World Championships in Kigali, Kenya.

At the time, there wasn't a huge amount of detail in the UCI announcement; the key takeaway was that the sport's governing body would look to clarify the distinction between time trial and mass start (road race) helmets from the beginning of next year for road events, and from January 2027 for the track.

The original announcement mentioned minimum ventilation requirements and a ban on visors and ear coverings, but didn't give any specifics.

Both of those feature on helmets that have been used in the WorldTour this year, such as the POC Procen Air, Kask Nirvana, and Giro Aerohead helmets, but the exact categorisation wasn't made clear.

This week, however, the UCI has created rules that define 'traditional' and 'time trial' helmet categories, as well as specifications on dimensions and features and clarification on what events they can be used in.

The published UCI helmet regulation table can be read above.

It shows that from January 1st, 2026, there will be a traditional and time trial helmet classification and guidance on the events in which those particular helmets can be used.

These guidelines specifically focus on the distinction between road and aerodynamic, time-trial-influenced aero helmets that can still be used for road racing, not full-blown time trial helmets, which would never be worn in a road race anyway.

For road use, events are split into Time Trial (Individual and Team), and then 'Other Events' as a catch-all for everything else, such as mass start road races, stage races, one-day events, criteriums, and so on.

Both helmet classes share maximum helmet dimensions of 450 x 300 x 210 mm for length, width and height, respectively. Then, regarding time trial helmets, there are no new specific restrictions.

There are also detailed specifications for ventilation, ear coverage and visors. Helmets must have three 'air inlet openings', integrated or detachable visors are not permitted, and helmets must not cover, obstruct or enclose a rider's ears from a lateral (side) view.

It seems pretty clear from these details that the UCI doesn't want aero-focused helmets like the POC Procen Air and Giro Aerohead being worn for road racing.

This move could be an aesthetic play, restoring the peloton to 'traditional' helmets. It could also be an attempt to level the playing field in terms of aero gains because not every team has access to similar models. This would echo the recently announced price cap for track equipment.

Or, more likely, is it a part of the UCI's plans to try and make racing safer by reducing speeds, which can be observed by the rim height restriction and soon-to-be trialled gearing restriction test at the upcoming Tour of Guangxi, which has drawn strong criticism from manufacturer SRAM.

At least one helmet manufacturer we reached out to for comment is still digesting the rules and what they mean. The 2025 race season is nearing its end, and the start of next year's racing will be here before we know it. It may take a little more time to see what these new regulations mean in real life for teams and brands.