Cyclists' Union Demands Helmet Upgrade After 19-Year-Old Fin Tarling Dies in Portugal Crash
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 15
Cyclists' Union Demands Helmet Upgrade After 19-Year-Old Fin Tarling Dies in Portugal Crash
2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 15
Summary
CPA president Adam Hansen said road-racing helmets need a “major upgrade” after British rider Fin Tarling, 19, died in a collision with a light goods vehicle during Friday’s Volta a Portugal stage.
EU helmet standard CE EN 1078 is rated for 19.5km/h, Hansen said, far below speeds riders now reach on descents and in modern racing, where Tour de France stage 11 last month averaged a record 50.91km/h.
Portuguese authorities have opened an investigation into the crash, which happened on a stage using a rolling roadblock; Hansen said riders trailing the main bunch can be exposed when motorists think the race has already passed.
Tarling’s death was the first in a road race in 2026 and the sixth such fatality in the past three years, adding to safety concerns as races get faster on public roads.