The Tour De France is Here…And Strategic Sports Helmets will be in the Peloton
The Tour de France starts today, and the cycling world’s attention turns to the riders, the tactics, and the extraordinary physical feats that define cycling’s greatest stage race. At Strategic Sports, we’ll be watching with particular pride. Helmets developed and manufactured by our teams will be racing through France this July—worn by athletes from three of the world’s top professional cycling teams.
Strategic Sports worked with three different top brands on time trial helmets and both aero and ventilated road helmets which will be used by three different World Tour Teams. While we won’t name the teams, riders, or helmets due to our commitment to confidentiality and respect for our brand partners, we
can share what it takes to deliver performance at this level—and why developing helmets for the Tour de France is unlike anything else in our industry.
Today’s WorldTour equipment development rivals Formula 1 in terms of complexity, precision, and innovation. And nowhere is that more evident than in the design and engineering of elite cycling helmets. Tour riders demand it all: aerodynamic supremacy, minimal weight, heat dissipation and ventilation, of course rider safety, and seamless integration with eyewear and communication devices. Every watt matters. Every gram counts. Over three weeks and 21 stages, these riders will push beyond their limits—and the scrutiny that goes into the helmets they wear for every one of the 3,338 kilometers of that journey is unmatched.
This level of performance is only possible through deep, collaborative partnerships with the brands we support. At Strategic Sports, we work closely with product managers, designers, and engineers from our brand partners to ensure the helmets they offer their sponsored teams are nothing short of world-class. Many of the helmets worn in this year’s Tour were developed with input from Tour riders themselves—feedback that helps us refine not just fit and feel, but performance at race speed.
“In the last five years, we’ve seen the top teams become directly involved in the helmet development process,” says Norman Cheng, Managing Director of Strategic Sports. “They’re working with wind tunnel data, CFD modeling, and field testing. They’re requesting unique fits, ventilation strategies, and even cosmetic features tailored to team identity. It’s made our work more demanding—but also more rewarding.”
Strategic Sports employees have worked directly with Tour de France riders and staff to bring helmet refinements to life.
From early prototype testing to production-quality sampling under race conditions, our team has spent time on-site with some of the sport’s biggest names—listening, observing, and improving.
“Cycling is evolving fast,” Cheng adds. “It’s much more than safety—it’s about competitive advantage. Our role is to help our partners give their teams that advantage, without compromise.”
Not every factory is up to the challenge of working to meet the demands found at the highest level of the sport. At Strategic, we’re proud to see our work ride in the world’s most iconic race, but even more proud to support our partners with the expertise, innovation, and confidence they need to lead in the peloton.
Best of luck to all the riders. We’ll be watching closely—from the first kilometer to the Champs-Élysées.
Images courtesy of the 2025 Tour de France Press Kit