Swedish sportswear specialists POC has released a new helmet at the Tour Down Under. The new, highly ventilated and super lightweight lid will be used by the EF Education First Pro Cycling team at the WorldTour opener in Australia.
Based largely around the POC Ventral — which was launched in March of last year — the Ventral Air has an increased number of vents to improve ventilation and cooling properties while retaining aerodynamics and stability.
POC says the 15 frontal ventilation ports and air channels within the helmet lining will improve the flow of air through the helmet at both high and low speeds, helping to keep the EF Pro Cycling riders cool in the 40 degrees Celsius temperatures expected in Australia this week.
The POC Ventral Air also includes the company’s patent-pending SPIN technology — POC’s answer to MIPS — which claims to reduce the rotational forces sometimes experienced during a crash.
The fully wrapped shell of the helmet will be available in a number of matt or gloss finishes, which fully covers the EPS foam liner and is optimised to strike a balance between weight and safety.
POC claims a size medium helmet weighs a competitive 230g.
The new helmet will share the same strap and adjustable fit system as the current POC Ventral, including a rotating tensioning dial and fore/aft sliding spar. Plus, an improved 'Eye Garage' sunglasses-stowage area is also integrated into the front vents on the helmet.
POC says the Ventral Air will be available in three sizes and available to consumers from March.
In a press release from the company, POC’s CEO Jonas Sjögren said that the company has "developed a number of advanced performance helmets in recent years. The award-winning Octal, with its class-leading weight and ventilation, was the first we released to meet the challenges of the uncompromising world of the pro peloton, followed quickly by the Cerebel and more recently, the Ventral SPIN.
“The objective is always to use science, mixed with our innovation and Swedish heritage, to optimize a rider’s safety and performance. The Ventral Air is the latest result of our approach; it is an incredibly safe and lightweight high-performance helmet which has a supreme cooling effect over the whole head, perfect for long mountain climbs, riders who prefer a light and highly ventilated helmet or those who regularly ride in hot climates.”
Click through the gallery above for a closer look at the new POC Ventral Air.