Kivilev death prompts cycle helmet rethink
Kazakh cyclist Andrei Kivilev of the Cofidis team, March 09, 2003.
PARIS (AFP) The death of Kazakh cyclist Andrei Kivilev has prompted international riders to get behind the International Cycling Union's (ICU) desire to make the wearing of helmets compulsory.
The debate over helmets was brought sharply into focus when Kivilev, who was riding with the Cofidis team, crashed in the Paris-Nice race earlier this year and was killed.
Kivilev was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
At a meeting in Brussels on Friday the president of the ICU, Hein Verbruggen, held talks with Council of Cycling Professionals (CPC) chief Vittorio Adorni as well as riders, represented by Francesco Moser, and Jean-Marie Leblanc, who appeared on behalf of race organisers.
"The consensus expre-ssed by the members of the CPC at this meeting was to make it possible to introduce this new regulation before the beginning of Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) on 10 May", said a statement.