Close watchers of this year's Tour de France will notice one of two logos adorning the tires of a majority of the teams riding: Continental and Vittoria. Beyond their storied pedigree (and sponsorship agreements) there's another reason so many teams go with these two large makers: their range of options for different conditions means the riders have more choice when setting up their bikes for the varied terrain of a given race or stage. But beyond the big two there are some other compelling options, including Pirelli, Schwalbe, Cadex, and the intriguing return of Hutchinson to the World Team ranks.
Here's a brand-by-brand breakdown of what to expect when you tune in to the tour — or a cheat sheet for how to deck out your own bike like a pro.
Continental
Fully ten teams will ride Continental's tires across France this year including favorite Tadej Pogacar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Continental produces their top-tier race tires at their factory in Korbach, Germany.
Grand Prix 5000 S TR — Continental's pro-level standby, the tubeless ready version of their legendary Grand Prix 5000, was an instant classic upon release in 2021. Featuring the renowned Black Chili compound, the S TR is fast, grippy, and surprisingly tough, making it the all-around tire of choice for most Continental teams.
Archetype — The newest tire in their lineup, the 30mm-only Archetype is reportedly the fastest they've ever made. You've already seen this tire in unmarked prototype mode on Tadej Pogacar's tour-winning bike last year. This year expect to see a lot of the striking orange branding throughout the peloton.
Grand Prix 5000 TT TR — The Tour's two time trials will almost certainly bring out this TT variant of the Grand Prix 5000 line. Lighter and faster than the S TR, the TT TR is commonly paired with the front-only Aero 111 tire to eke out every last watt.
Vittoria
At least six teams, including Visma–Lease a Bike and race favorite Jonas Vingegaard, are riding Vittoria tires this year, the second most of any manufacturer. The classic Italian brand produces their race tires at a purpose-built, carbon-neutral facility in Thailand.
Corsa Pro TLR — The bread and butter of the Vittoria lineup, the Corsa Pro TLR's 320 TPI cotton casing offers incredibly low weight, low rolling resistance and a buttery smooth, supple ride. This will probably be the second most visible tire in the peloton, whether in the original 28mm and 30mm or the new 29mm Wide Rim variant.
Corsa Pro Speed TLR — Vittoria's fastest tire, and according to BicycleRollingResistance.com, the fastest tire in the world, the Corsa Pro Speed will obviously find favor on the two time trial stages, but also keep an eye out for it on climbing days as the incredibly low weight can shave almost 100 grams for a pair.
Corsa Pro Control TLR — While still very fast, this is a race tire that emphasizes grip and handling over sheer straight-line speed. The Corsa Pro Control shines on technical sprint finishes and twisty alpine descents.
Pirelli
Two teams will tackle the Tour on Pirelli's Italian-made race rubber: Mathieu Van Der Poel's Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lidl-Trek with their sprint favorite Jonathan Milan. They'll choose between the P Zero Race TLR, which is the starting point for Pirelli's pro lineup and modeled after their dominant motorsport tire of the same name, and the P Zero Race TLR RS — Pirelli's speed demon race day tire. You'll probably see Pirelli-sponsored teams on the RS for most stages as the low rolling resistance and low weight make it a clear choice when every watt counts.
Schwalbe
Tudor Pro Cycling and Julian Alaphillipe will be cruising on Schwalbe's Pro ONE TLE & Pro ONE TT TLE, both featuring their ultra-fast ADDIX Race compound and 127 TPI construction. The TT, as the name suggests, is optimized for time trials and rolls faster & lighter at the cost of puncture resistance.
Hutchinson
Biniam Girmay will be attempting to win his fourth Tour stage on Hutchinson's Blackbird Racing Lab TLR, which weighs a remarkable 240g in 28mm. We may also spot some unmarked prototypes, as his Intermarche–Wanty team are working closely with the French manufacturer on testing and developing new race tires.
Cadex
JayCo AlUla ride the full package from Giant and their component arm Cadex, including their lightning-quick tires. Their current offering is streamlined: riders will likely ride either the standard Race tire or the Aero tire, which uses an even faster compound to shave a claimed 15% off the rolling resistance. There is also a rumored new tire in development here, so stay tuned.
Specialized
The only World Teams still running tubes are those with access to Specialized's storied Turbo Cotton race tires. The 320 TPI cotton casing means these supple wonders paired with latex tubes can still hold their own—especially for smooth time trial stages. For most other applications you'll find Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe and Soudal Quick-Step running the S-Works Turbo TLR.
