My Campy Nouvo Record, Cobalto, and Mirage single-pivot sidepull brakes work fine from the hoods, even with the stock Campy cables and pads. One of my bikes had some of those Fiamme Red Label rims. I found those rims to be slippery and soft metal that easily galled, grooved, and built up various residues. Switched to Mavic GP-4 dark anodized rims and they brake much nicer. Tektro brakes and levers on a vintage Olmo?