Less than a year after reintroducing itself in to the road cycling market, Italian tyre giant Pirelli has broken back in to the professional peloton by placing its rubber on one of the most distinctive bikes out there.
Pirelli will now be tyre partners of the Irish ProContinental squad Aqua Blue Sport providing the team with its brand new 28mm tubular road tyres for their 3T Strada bikes.
Pirelli's decision to go tubular is one based off of the needs of professional racing. Tubular is ubiquitous for the racing elite due to being lighter, faster and more comfortable.
These new tyres will debut at the Ardennes Classics with their first presence at this Sunday's Amstel Gold Race. The team will then race on the new tubular tyres for the rest of the season while training on the 28mm PZero Velo clincher tyres.
Beyond this new tubular option, Pirelli will look to develop its entire range of tyres, working closely with the team and its riders. The plan is for Pirelli to expand its market, optimising for professional road racing.
Like the PZero clincher tyres, these new tubulars have benefited from Pirelli's tireless work in the field of Formula 1 with the compounds of the cycling tyres having been developed alongside those of the motorsport options.
COO of Velo Pirelli Antonella Lauriola spoke of the brand's excitement to work with Aqua Blue Sport.
'Pirelli’s comeback to the racing bikes is the natural consequence of the company’s return to the world of cycling and we are happy to be back with Aqua Blue Sport as our partner.
'They are a team with great personality and technical preparation, with whom we share values and vision.'