Given less than 24 hours’ notice, Ineos Grenadiers found themselves scrambling to devise a solution at the UAE Tour after an unexpected last minute UCI ban on the Kask Aero Pro Visor that magnetically attaches to Kask TT helmets.
The jury communique simply stated: “The Commissaires Panel informs all Sport Directors that the Equipment Commission of the UCI prohibits the use of the following kinds of visors of the following brand, Kask. Therefore, the riders who do not have a different helmet shall take the start without those visors for tomorrow’s stage.”
Adding to the confusion, this is not a new product. The Kask Aero Pro Visor launched back in 2022 when Filippo Ganna set the men’s hour record at 56.792 kilometers (35.289 miles) on October 8, 2022.
After that initial launch, the Aero Pro Visor saw use in other UCI races. Ganna came across the line first in stage 4 of the 2023 Ethias-Tour de Wallonie using the visor and it saw a redesign, with larger wings, in 2024.
Now in 2025 it appears there’s a change of heart at the UCI. Thankfully, according to Oli Cookson, Team Directeur Sportif of Ineos Grenadiers, the pivot was accomplished without upsetting the delicate balance of moving pieces. Cookson stated, “we found a good resolution, especially with the chief commissaire here, who’s been incredible working with us.”
As proof, he pointed to Josh Tarling still managing to win the stage.
“So we’re all good,” Cookson said. “And obviously the result there, I don’t think it would have changed the result, if you look at the time difference there. But no, all good. We’re always looking to work within the rules and also to push the sport forward, and that will be with our sponsors and the materials as well. I think there’s always that balance.”
When asked if the last minute change was frustrating, Cookson remained level headed, saying: “This is a sport where you have to be able to adapt within. Let’s just say we were the swans legs and the riders were the swan above the water. Everything was managed around that. There’s a lot of good people in the team, and we had options in place.”
The modular nature of this piece likely made the pivot easier. Kask has other magnetic visors and Cookson alluded to there being no need to cut anything by saying, “It was all done with Kask and we had other options. All good in the end.”
Kask communicated that “We received the communication from the UCI regarding their ban of the KASK Aero Pro Visor and KASK Aero Pro Visor 2.0 less than 24 hours before the time trial at the UAE Tour. Despite the very short notice, we took immediate action to comply with that communication, working closely with the race commissioners. We have always supported the UCI and complied with their regulations, and we always will.”
It’s worth noting that despite that apparent ease, and allusion to an easy resolution, images of Tarling show a visor with a black border attached to a Kask Bambino helmet. The standard clear visor lacks a black border leaving only the Aero Pro Visor with that detail. Kask was unable to offer further clarification on Tarling’s visor ahead of publication.