Continental GP5000 S TR tyres
Paris-roubaix proved beyond doubt that tubeless has its place in the pro peloton. While Deceuninck-quickstep’s riders suffered puncture after puncture – with self-proclaimed strongest rider in the race Yves Lampaert finishing fifth – Sonny Colbrelli roared to victory at the Roubaix velodrome on Continental’s latest GP5000 S TRS. Colbrelli also punctured - twice - but that TR stands for ‘tubeless ready’, so the tyres sealed themselves and there was no stopping the Italian.
Tyre construction isn’t massively different from the previous model – it’s still made with Conti’s Blackchili compound and has the same puncture protection and grip technology – however some important features have been added.
Firstly, they’re now compatible with hookless rims, opening the door to their use on a wider range of top-tier wheels. To add to that, the brand claims these new GP5000S have 28% more sidewall protection and are 50g lighter than the original tubeless GPS, largely down to the use of a two-ply, not three-ply, carcass construction.
Whether that will inspire Specialized to get its sponsored teams onto tubeless tyres before 2022’s Paris-roubaix in April remains to be seen. Lampaert will surely hope so.