Top professional cyclists rely on Conti products

Hanover, in July 2006. Made from a closely-guarded secret mixture of ingredients, tyre compound - 'black gold' - is a highly pertinent subject in those sectors where high precision is demanded along with maximum speed. It can often make the split-second differences that decide on victory or defeat, tears or jubilation. Motor sport, though, is not the only area where it all comes down to the right compound, optimum know-how and maximum experience. In disciplines where energy is transmitted not by a combustion engine but by muscle power, it has long been the rule that whoever has the best tyres also has the best chance of ultimately being right up at the front. Working as a mechanic in a professional cycle racing team involves more than just fitting tyres. For highly-strung riders, who have a very close relationship with their bikes, the mechanic is the 'man with the golden hands'. They trust him implicitly and he is the one who says: "Everything is OK, you have the best tyres you could wish for on those rims. Now it's all up to you."

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However, any mechanic is only as good as the materials he can work with and has access to. This is why leading, ambitious teams participating in the 'Pro Tour', the competition initiated in 2005 in which the world's top professional cycling teams compete, always rely on Continental tyres. The same applies, of course, to the world's biggest and toughest cycle race of all - the Tour de France - which is being held this year for the 93rd time. On Saturday 1st July, 20 teams set off on the three-week ordeal that tests both man and material to the limit and culminates in a hopefully satisfying conclusion on the Champs Elysées in Paris. The German 'T-Mobile' team, the Swiss 'Phonak Hearings Systems', the French 'Crédit Agricole' and the 'Saunier Duval' team from Spain are all using high-tech racing tyres suitable for every type of ground surface and weather. These tyres, designed to meet a wide range of demands, are hand-made by Continental in Korbach in the state of Hesse, in the only factory left in Germany dedicated to producing bicycle tyres.

It is not just the compound, though, that is important - the construction and the tread pattern of the tyre are also relevant, because the Tour has by now become a veritable battle in terms of materials. Despite their filigree form, bicycle tyres - which are worlds apart from the huge rubber 'rollers' used in Formula 1 racing - are expected to provide maximum precision and functionality. A tiny, harmless-looking but treacherous sharp stone, a sliver of glass barely visible to the naked eye or a carelessly discarded drawing pin can prove a nightmare for the professional rider. For this reason, slim cycle tyres have to not only ensure good riding characteristics and the lowest rolling resistance, they also have to be as failure-proof as possible.

The cycling teams relying on top-class Conti products have to be prepared for every eventuality, in the same way as the teams competing in motor sports. Every type of surface, every weather condition, every sporting requirement - whether a normal stage or time-trials - presents the company's engineers with huge challenges in their endeavours to manufacture the ideal product. Continental offers all the teams riding on tyres made in Korbach the best 'black friend and helper' for every requirement. The racing teams' mechanics - and of course primarily the riders themselves - can choose either special extra lightweight Tempo tyres, Competition all-round tyres with tyre-failure protection or Competition-WetCompound all-round tyres with their wet-grip compound and tyre-failure protection. Normally, of course, it is the rider's degree of fitness on the day that determines the outcome of all the physical effort, but without good tyres even being in the best possible shape does not help. This year the four teams - T-Mobile, Phonak Hearings Systems, Crédit Agricole and Saunier Duval - will be setting off on the legendary 'Grande Boucle' (the 'Great Loop') on size 27x1.22mm Continental Competition racing tyres.

Continental has drawn up a list of 'guidelines' to help the mechanics in the racing teams, giving them advice about which tyres to fit for which conditions. The notes are in large format, making them easy to follow, and were been compiled specifically for the ProTour races and thus also for the Tour de France. This 'ProTire Guide' is similar to the 'Klinsi tactics board', except that it is designed for cycle racing instead of football. The guide lists the tyres with the best properties for normal conditions over 7oC, for wet and hazardous surfaces at temperatures below 7oC, for gravel tracks full of potholes, and finally the exceptionally filigree tyres for time-trials. Every mechanic's 'workshop' has a copy of the guide hanging on the wall - absolutely essential to avoid making the wrong choice.

Perfect tyres for a top-quality cycle race have to be very different in their structure and manufacture from parts used by 'Schumi' or Alonso. Conti can call on decades of experience in the manufacture of these technically high-class products. The company has been developing and producing bicycle tyres ever since 1892. Those days they made pneumatic tyres, which replaced the leather or iron bands normally fitted to the rims. Today's tyres have however evolved to become top-quality high-tech products. The factory in Hesse manufactures tyres for touring bikes, mountain bikes and professional racers, meeting the expectations of every cyclist who climbs into the saddle. Continental has a range of ten different products for mountain bikes alone, with studded winter tyres of different sizes for trekking and mountain bikes.

This year the 'giants of the country road' have a total of 3,653 kilometres (2270 miles) to cover before they finally arrive in Paris on 23rd July and the winner is known. Whatever the weather - scorching heat or rain, hail and cold up in the high mountains - and whatever the road conditions - fast stages at the sprint arrivals or extreme, bumpy stretches in the uphill mountain stages - the teams cycling on Continental racing tyres are very well-equipped to handle it all. One way or another, they can rely on the safety offered by the 'black gold' from Korbach.

Continental's bicycle tyre business unit is based in Korbach, Hesse, and has an extensive range of touring, trekking, mountain bike and racing tyres. In addition to tyres offering high mileage performance, low rolling resistance and comfort, Continental also manufactures studded winter tyres for bicycles. Continental racing tyres are used by leading teams in many cycling events such as the Tour de France and the Olympic Games. Continental is the only manufacturer of bicycle tyres to produce in Germany.

The Continental Corporation is a leading supplier of tyres, brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers. In 2005 the corporation realised sales of EUR13.8 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of approximately 80,600

The tyre business unit is an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany^TM and an Official Sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008^TM. For further information visit the websites www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.ContiFanWorld.com and www.conti-online.com.