Sam Bewley gives helmet safety reminder

Bewley's dented Giro helmet  ©Bewley

Apr 15th, 11. We can take them for granted, but Kiwi pro rider Sam Bewley got a reminder about the benefits of wearing a helmet when he hit his head on the road while racing today.

Bewley was racing with his RadioShack team in the Grand Prix de Denain in France when, with 15km to go, he hit the roadside.

"We were going pretty quick and the fight was starting for position. I don't really know what happened but a couple of guys crashed in front of me and I had no where to go," he told RoadCycling.co.nz this morning.

"I didn't actually lose too much skin, as I just bounced. I hit my head but my helmet saved me," said Bewley who was intially a little worried about his elbow as it was pretty weak, but fortunately it came right after a short time.

Bewley is thankful for his Giro helmet, which, unlike other riders in Europe, he is never on the bike without.

"I don't understand why people even train without them over here," he said.

Have you given your helmet a warrant of fitness check lately? Go do it - it might be the difference between a headache and a major head injury one day.