But perhaps you remember the 1995 Tour de France. Negotiating a descent during one of the stages, Fabio Casartelli, one of Lance Armstrong's Motorola teammates, hit a cement barrier, went down, dropped into a coma and died at the hospital. Conversely, in the 1998 Tour de France, Britain Chris Boardman touched another rider's wheel and was spun into a jagged, cobbled wall. His helmet took the brunt of the collision. He broke his wrist and suffered a concussion, but nothing more.
Helmets save lives.
Unfortunately, European road racing has an attached stigma about the helmet, and a few traditionalist racers shun helmets. Triathlon, however, has accepted the helmet without question. In 1984, Ironman Hawaii and USTS organizers mandated use of helmets in their events. Aside from the fact that you're not allowed to race any triathlon in the United States and most international races without one, they're super light, well ventilated, comfortable and even stylish. The newest designs from the top bike helmet manufacturers in 2000 continue to evolve in style and function.