They did it with a bit more style back in the day. Things were more clear-cut back then and it's no surprise that in this carbon fibre age of riding many are looking back to the retro styling for a bit of soul.
They may only be team caps but they look great: the Brooklyn cap of number-one Merckx rival Roger De Vlaeminck; the instantly recognisable checkerboard cap of the special edition Peugeot; or the Flandria cotton cap worn by Walter Godefroot, Roger De Vlaeminck and Rik Van Looy.
Plus the classic St Raphael cap of Tom Simpson and Jacques Anquetil. All good stuff, full of history and style. They're stitched in cotton, are very well made and don't come with that migraine-inducing tight fit that's common to many similar caps.