{"id":21253,"date":"2013-07-19T23:59:29","date_gmt":"2013-07-19T21:59:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/a-tour-de-france-cycling-scandal-that-caps-them-all\/"},"modified":"2013-07-19T23:59:29","modified_gmt":"2013-07-19T21:59:29","slug":"a-tour-de-france-cycling-scandal-that-caps-them-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/a-tour-de-france-cycling-scandal-that-caps-them-all\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tour de France cycling scandal that caps them all"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chris Froome<\/a>\u00a0has lit up this year\u2019s Tour de France, and remains the favourite to win in Paris, but his choice of hat is threatening to create the next big scandal in cycling.<\/p>\n

\"Tour<\/a><\/p>\n

Tour de France: A cycling scandal to cap them all \u2013 why are the world\u2019s best riders refusing to wear the classic headgear? Photo: The Independent<\/p>\n

Across the sport, purists are campaigning for winners to rescue the traditional cycling cap from the tyranny of its baseball counterpart.<\/p>\n

Nearly all victorious riders step onto the podium wearing American caps bearing sponsor names. But for the leader of the \u201ccaps not hats\u201d campaign, only cotton and short brims properly honour the sport\u2019s heritage.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing I love about cycling is the odd traditions that still exist no matter how hi-tech it get,\u201d says Bill Strickland, a cycling writer. \u201cThe cycling cap is one of these so it seems a shame that on the podium, the showcase for the race, you always see baseball hats.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strickland\u2019s campaign has taken off online and has had key support from Mark Cavendish<\/a> and his teammate, Tony Martin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Strickland is particularly disappointed with Team Sky<\/a>, whose kit is supplied by Rapha, the London brand that helped create a boom in interest in cycling\u2019s sartorial heritage.<\/p>\n

But its boss, Simon Mottram, supports Strickland\u2019s campaign. \u201cWe definitely favour caps and have sent the team hundreds of the things but it\u2019s up to them what they wear,\u201d he says. \u2013 The Independent<\/a><\/p>\n

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