The Vittoria Corsa Pro Control road bike tyre is now available in two gravel-friendly widths of 38mm and 42mm.
Previously, Vittoria’s mixed-conditions road bike tyre came in widths ranging from 26mm to 34mm. But the wider options, announced today, are said “to deliver performance on rough surfaces and compact gravel”.
It wasn’t that long ago that 28mm road bike tyres were viewed as a wide choice, but we’ve seen tyre clearances and widths grow persistently in recent years. Schwalbe launched its 40mm Pro One Allroad in January and Pirelli offers road bikes tyres measuring over 40mm wide. Continental recently released a 35mm version of its GP5000 tyre.
Vittoria is slightly late to the wide pro-level tyre party, even if it is slightly ahead of Continental. But its rationale behind the new widths suggests we'll see more tyres shifting into this wider territory.
Wider tyres becoming the norm
Vittoria says the road cycling landscape is evolving quickly. This is driven by changes in road bike design, rider expectations and a deeper understanding of performance. It says that the optimal balance of speed, efficiency and comfort can be found with tyres between 28mm and 30mm, but that the market is shifting beyond 30mm tyres.
“Today’s road, endurance, and gravel race bikes offer generous tyre clearance and are engineered to perform best with wider tires. In response, Vittoria extends the Corsa Pro Control range with 38mm and 42 mm options, designed to deliver race-level performance on pavé, cobblestones and light or compact gravel, while maintaining speed and control on asphalt,” it says.
On the one hand, this shift to wider tyres could be interpreted as a push from the industry. But Vittoria says, “More cyclists are choosing a single road-gravel crossover platform.”
Chief marketing and innovation officer Vanessa ten Hoff adds that these new widths respond to how riders use modern road and gravel race bikes.
“We closely follow market trends, but we choose to act only when they deliver real, measurable benefits,” she says, adding that Vittoria’s gravel tyre range remains the best choice for technical off-road riding.
- Read more: You need 32mm+ tyres on your road bike, according to independent testing of new Hutchinson Blackbird
Same construction as the narrower Corsa Pro Control
The new 38mm and 42mm Corsa Pro Control tyres share the same construction and design as their narrower counterparts.
The tyre tread has a slick central section for lower rolling resistance on tarmac. A herringbone shoulder is said to enhance grip and stability while cornering on uneven surfaces.
The tyre features Vittoria’s race compound, but is said to offer “elevated puncture resistance” thanks to a 30 per cent thicker and 13 per cent wider tread compared to the Corsa Pro. It also has an anti-puncture belt and reinforced bead.
The new widths cost the same as the rest of the Corsa Pro Control range at £89.99 / $106.00 / €95.95.
