Continental Athletes Secure 13 UCI World Championship Elite Podiums
- Five gold medals, one silver and a bronze across Elite Downhill and Cross-country MTB
- One gold and one silver medal for track athletes
- One silver and three bronze medals won by Elite road race and time trial athletes
Hanover, Germany, August 21, 2023. Continental-supported athletes were consistent fixtures across the podiums of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Scotland, with thirteen medals won across track, road and MTB.
The UCI’s ‘Super Worlds’ provided the perfect global stage for Continental’s tires to reaffirm their credentials, with the award-winning Gravity MTB and Grand Prix 5000 TR ranges the clear authority on performance at the sharp end of professional racing. Likewise, Continental’s cross-country athletes chose tried and tested favourites, reinforcing their place in every racers armoury.
Continental’s Gravity range thrives on the world’s most challenging Downhill racetrack
Valentina Höll rode Continental’s Gravity range to retain the rainbow stripes for Austria in the Elite Women’s Downhill World Championship. Vali’s team, RockShox-Trek Race Team, partnered with Continental for the 2023 season, with Vali securing two World Cup wins at home in Leogang and in Val di Sole Trentino since fitting Continental tires.
Vali Höll, 2023 UCI Women’s Elite Downhill World Champion, said: “Super stoked to win my second World Champs title back-to-back. Women’s racing has never been more competitive and it‘s been a big relief to walk home with the rainbow stripes. Having full confidence in my set-up and tire choice for the conditions meant I could go all-in on the race run.”
Likewise, long-time Continental-supported Downhill racing team, Continental-Atherton, led the field at the Men’s Elite Downhill event. Charlie Hatton secured Gold for Great Britain with Andreas Kolb hot on his heels to take home Silver for Austria on Continental’s Kryptotal Fr tires.
Charlie Hatton, 2023 UCI Men’s Elite Downhill World Champion said: “To win the World Championships is unreal!! But to win in front of the home crowd, on a British-built bike designed by my friends on the team, with my training partner taking the Silver… it just hasn’t sunk in yet, I’m lost for words.”
Vali, Charlie and Andreas’ success follows years of collaboration with pro riders and teams to develop the award-winning Gravity mountain bike tire range. Tested alongside the athletes at Dyfi Bike Park, Wales, the Gravity range has been proven to excel in particularly rough and loose conditions.
Kelsey Rollet, Bicycle Marketing Manager, Continental, said: “I am so stoked for Vali, Charlie and Andi having watched them develop as racers over the last few years. With the weather switching from dry to torrential rain mid-way through the event, Vali, Charlie and Andreas were forced to contend with rocks, roots, and drops that became increasingly difficult to ride with each run. In these conditions, it was critical that they had full confidence in their bikes and knew that the tires would allow them to ride aggressively regardless of traction and terrain. Continental’s Kryptotal Fr tire delivered this confidence, supporting their world-class performances in loose track conditions.“
Classic cross-country competition tires reaffirm their credentials
Continental’s Race King cross-country tire carried Tom Pidcock (GB) to Gold in the Cross-country Olympic and bronze in the Short Track, whilst Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FR) took the top step in both Cross-country Olympic and Short Track on Continental’s Ruban. Race King’s low rolling tread pattern allowed Pidcock to keep the speed up through both tight turns and straights, whereas Ruban’s energy-saving, fast-rolling properties proved perfect for the trail conditions Ferrand-Prévot faced in Glentress Forest.
Both athletes have been testing prototype tires for Continental throughout the last three seasons, with their expert feedback critical to the development of Continental’s mountain bike ranges.
Alexander Hänke, Product Manager Bicycle Tires, Continental, said: "We have been long-time partners with Team Ineos. It has always been our commitment to support our riders with the best possible material for racing. When Tom decided to add focus on XC racing, we were thrilled to have such a multi-talented rider on our MTB tires. Together with Tom and Pauline, we have tailored specific designs and constructions to match their incredible abilities on the bike and have full trust in their tires so they can go all in. We are proud to be part of Tom's and Pauline's success and to have partners that push us to develop the best tires for XC."
Grand Prix 5000 TR tires proven to deliver on the boards and road
Back on the asphalt, Continental’s Grand Prix 5000 TR range supported both time trial and road race athletes on their way to the podium. In the Men’s Elite Road Race, Tadej Pogačar (SL) secured a bronze medal on one of the most challenging World Championship race routes ever set, with Continental’s speed-focused Grand Prix 5000 TT his tire of choice.
Meanwhile, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (DK) took the bronze in the Women’s Elite Road Race on Continental’s Grand Prix 5000 S TR; a tire created for the perfect balance between speed, grip, and longevity. For the Elite Men's Time Trial, Filippo Ganna (IT) and Josh Tarling (GB) chose the Grand Prix 5000 TT TR on their way to Silver and Bronze, respectively.
On the track, Ineos-Grenadiers team mates Filippo Ganna and Dan Bigham took home the Gold and Silver for Italy and Great Britain in the Individual Pursuit while rolling on Continental’s record-breaking Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tire. Designed for pure speed with no compromise, the tire also supported each athlete as they put down matchless performances to chase down the UCI Hour Record in 2022.
Melina Kostmann
Communications Manager Two-Wheel Tires
Specialty Tires
Continental Tires