What Are Cyclists Wearing on Their Noses at the Giro d'Italia? It's HiStrips

You're watching the 2026 Giro d'Italia and you notice something: Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders are all wearing a pink strip across their noses. You're not alone in asking — what are cyclists wearing on their face? The answer is HiStrips nasal strips, and the reason the entire team is using them is straightforward: they work.

What Are Those Strips on Cyclists' Noses?

Nasal strips are flexible adhesive bands that attach across the bridge of the nose. They apply gentle outward tension to the lateral nasal cartilage, physically widening the nasal passage and reducing airflow resistance. The result is easier breathing through the nose — and for athletes pushing at race intensity, that means more oxygen, less respiratory effort, and better endurance.

HiStrips are the nasal strip of choice for Team Visma | Lease a Bike at the 2026 Giro d'Italia. The pink colourway is a deliberate nod to the maglia rosa, the iconic pink jersey worn by the overall race leader. But the choice of HiStrips goes deeper than aesthetics — these strips are built specifically for athletic performance, not repurposed from a pharmacy sleep-aid product.

Why Are Cyclists Wearing Nasal Strips at the Giro?

The Giro d'Italia is one of the most physiologically demanding events in sport. Three weeks, 21 stages, multiple summit finishes above 2,000 metres. At that altitude and intensity, every efficiency gain matters. Nasal breathing — when maintained at race pace — delivers meaningful advantages over mouth breathing: better oxygen uptake, improved respiratory mechanics, reduced diaphragm fatigue, and higher nitric oxide production in the lungs.

The problem is that nasal airflow resistance increases under exercise load. The nasal valve narrows, forcing athletes to shift to mouth breathing earlier than ideal. HiStrips address this directly by widening the nasal valve mechanically. Riders can maintain more effective nasal breathing at higher intensities, extending the physiological benefits deeper into the effort.

What Cyclists Are Wearing: The HiStrips Specifics

HiStrips are designed to stay in place through a Grand Tour stage — five to six hours of racing, in May heat across southern and central Italy. The adhesive is sweat-resistant and skin-safe. The strip geometry is engineered for maximum nasal expansion without discomfort. There are no loose edges, no peeling adhesive, no need to reapply mid-race.

Team Visma riders wear HiStrips from the neutralised zone to the finish line. Some also wear them overnight to support nasal breathing during sleep — an important recovery tool during a three-week race where accumulated fatigue is the primary enemy.

Can You Buy the Same Nasal Strips the Pros Wear?

Yes. The HiStrips worn by Team Visma at the Giro d'Italia are the same product available to everyone at histrips.com/products/nasal-histrips-pink. There's no professional-only version, no team-exclusive formula. You get exactly what the riders get.

If you've been watching the Giro and wondering what those pink strips on the cyclists' faces are — now you know. And you can order your own today.

Start Wearing What the Peloton Wears

Whether you're a competitive cyclist, a weekend rider, or someone who wants to breathe better during training and sleep, HiStrips deliver. The same mechanism that helps Team Visma riders perform on the Mortirolo works equally well on your local climb, your indoor trainer, or your pillow.

Browse HiStrips at histrips.com/products/nasal-histrips-pink and wear what the world's best cyclists wear at the world's most beautiful race.