Cycling elite choose Continental

Hanover, 6 July 2007. In the motorsport disciplines of Formula 1, the World Rally Championship and motorbike racing, you often hear commentators referring to the choice of tyres being key, the luck associated with choosing the right tyres, or certain tracks being particularly tough on the tyres. It always comes down to the tyres! This ‘black gold’ is often the deciding factor between who wins and who loses – between tears and triumph. However, it is not only in these motor-powered sports where tyres have a major role to play, they are also crucial in the highly exerting, muscle-powered sport of cycling.

The best riders in the world are very particular when it comes to choosing their tyres. This stems from the extreme stress the tyres are put under during the most gruelling stages of the race, such as the mountain stages, the individual time trials and the sprints. The riders rely on the mechanics responsible for fine-tuning the high-spec cycles to know precisely which tyres to fit in which conditions.

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A mystical element often seems to surround the choice of tyre – and superstition plays a part for many riders. However, what it really comes down to is meticulous preparation and, ultimately, an end product that has been designed to the highest possible technical standard. Years of experience and expertise gained from long hours spent in the research lab and a high degree of accuracy and instinct turn what at first glance may seem to be an inconspicuous black compound into a product chosen by champions the world over, including winners of the Tour de France. The Tour de France, considered by many to be the most gruelling bike race in the World, this year starts from London on Saturday 07 July. This year too, in the Tour’s 94^th year, four of the World’s greatest teams are putting their confidence in Continental high-tech tyres. In the town of Korbach in Germany’s Hessen region, in the country’s only cycle tyre factory, tyres are being hand-crafted to ensure that the teams of Astana, Caisse d’Épargne, Crédit Agricole and T-Mobile embark on the three-week-long race with the very best the industry has to offer.

Since the launch two years ago of the ProTour for the best professional cycle teams in the world, the stars of this scene have been putting their faith in the experts at Continental. When creating such top-of-the-range sports equipment, there are many aspects to take into account; the compound of course, but also the composition and tread design of the racing tyre to ensure that it meets the varying demands placed on it. For instance, first choice for mountain terrain may be far from appropriate for individual time trials. The filigree racing cycle tyre requires the highest level of precision and bespoke work in order to guarantee the maximum possible technical support en route to success. This means that the tyres not only require excellent race performance, they must also provide minimal rolling resistance and high puncture resistance. The Continental experts are constantly setting themselves these ProTour requirements to maintain the highest level of technical quality in their tyres, and even to improve them a shade where at all possible.

In the long run-up to the race, the Continental experts are not only responsible for providing the highest quality tyres for the cycling professionals, they are also responsible for ensuring that the mechanics always know which one to choose for the particular race conditions, whether this be the ultra-light Tempo tyres, the Competition all-round tyres with puncture protection or the Competition Wet Compound all-round tyres with wet grip compound and puncture protection. When it comes to winning, a rider’s form and physical condition are only part of the equation – without the perfect tyre the race could be lost. During the punishing 3,000 km race, the teams of Astana, Caisse d’Épargne, Crédit Agricole and T-Mobile will be putting their faith in Continental Competition racing tyres (28 in x 22 mm).

The Continental experts have put together a paper both for the ProTour races and the Tour de France advising the team mechanics on the requirements and conditions governing the choice of tyres. This ProTire Guide lists those tyres with the best properties for normal conditions above 7º, wet conditions, hazardous sections at temperatures below 7º and hazardous stretches of gravel road. Finally, there is the Nonplusultra tyre, a filigree tyre which is perfect for time trials.

Continental has been developing and manufacturing cycle tyres since 1892 and has a wealth of experience in this field; in addition to equipping the professionals, Continental also manufactures tyres for thousands of amateurs and hobby cyclists around the world, and is constantly developing its product range. Continental will be attending ‘Eurobike 2007’, Europe’s leading trade fair for the cycling industry, to exhibit new products such as its Mountain King mountain bike tyres, or its latest generation of Grand Prix Attack&Force racing tyres which provide an even smoother, more stable ride than the predecessor. These racing tyres, with their specific front- and rear-wheel design, have proven very popular among racing cyclists of all levels. GP Attack for the front wheel and GP Force for the rear have been completely redesigned for 2008 to increase racing speed and stability. With a new tread design, new dimensions, Vectran puncture protection and Black Chili compounds, these tyres are at the cutting edge of technology.

Whether you are an amateur racing cyclist or a ProTour top athlete, Continental’s ‘black gold’ is the perfect choice. This year, the four teams using Continental tyres will be fully equipped to cope with any eventuality, including this Saturday when they will again face the greatest challenge in cycling, the Tour de France.

The Continental Corporation is a leading automotive supplier of tyres, brake systems, chassis components, vehicle electronics and technical elastomers. In 2006 the corporation realised sales of EUR 14.9 billion. At present it has a worldwide workforce of around 87,000.

Continental’s tyre divisions are official sponsor of UEFA Euro 2008™, which is being co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland in June 2008. Further information on this is available at www.ContiSoccerWorld.de, www.contifanworld.com and www.conti-online.com.