Do beards bestow some magical property upon their bearer? Perhaps their presence wards off the nip in the air. Or maybe the hipster fashion just hasn’t gone out of style yet. Whatever the reason, you certainly can’t miss the preponderance of facial hirsuteness on parade in the Paris-Nice peloton.

A neat and very aero combination for Cannondale’s Kiwi Patrick Bevin on his way to third place on the prologue.

Luke Rowe and his dastardly moustache making the difference for Sky on the dirt roads of Stage 1.

Tom Boonen modelling the very latest style in cold weather protection for Etixx-Quick Step.

These riders are mere isolated beacons of flamboyance on the team bus in comparison with the serious levels of beardedness displayed by some teams. With the full facial whiskers of Simon Geschke and Laurens Ten Dam, Giant-Alpecin can certainly lay claim to the title of Team Beard at Paris Nice… and YES this really should be a trophy.

However, giving them a serious run for their money in the barbering stakes are French dark-horses Cofidis.

Here’s Nacer Bouhanni only a gold earring and a parrot away from a full pirate ensemble.

Remember that toy with the magnet and iron filings? Tell me Geoffrey Soupe‘s luxuriant magnificence doesn’t remind you of your childhood.

As a final thought on facial adornments, I give you this surreal 2013 video from Europcar…now Team Direct Energy.

Everybody say MOUSTACHE!

Featured Image: Emperor Tamarin via Commons Wikipedia