I can pedal my carbon fibre recumbent up to 53km/h on the flat, and I pass cars in a 70kmh zone on a downhill exit ramp, so yeah speeds can get pretty high. It would be good if cycle racing organisations required road racers to wear appropriate PPE so ventilated protective gear could get into the general population and be seen as reasonable

OTOH I don’t think riders of slow bikes should be required to even wear helmets (they are required to in Australia)