Milan, Italy, January 8, 2020 - After a season as a technical partner, Pirelli becomes co-title sponsor of the mountain bike team, TREK PIRELLI. The team, headed by ex-professional cyclist Marco Trentin, is one of the most important and renowned on the international Cross-Country mountain bike scene.
The collaboration with Pirelli, which started in 2019, has led to two Italian jerseys (Samuele Porro, Cross Country Marathon; Gioele De Cosmo Under23 Cross-Country), a silver medal at the 2019 Cross Country Marathon EU Championships and a bronze at the Cross-Country Marathon 2019 World Championships (both won by Samuele Porro). Finally, the team got a successful third place in the grueling South African marathon, ABSA Cape Epic.
Today Pirelli consolidates the work done with the team and takes the partnership to the next level, becoming co-title partner and reaffirming its commitment, both to the team and to the world of cross-country mountain biking.
Synergistic work carried out with the athletes who, beyond the victories, led to a continuous exchange of technical feedback and was also imperative to the development of the Pirelli Scorpion MTB tires, launched to the market March 2019.
The Scorpion MTB range currently features four models, with specific treads for the different consistencies of the terrain: H (Hard), M (Mixed), S (Soft) and R (Rear) multipurpose. The SmartGRIP Compound is the core technology of the tires: developed and produced by Pirelli technicians thanks to the team's feedback, it offers high puncture resistance and optimal grip, regardless of weather conditions, throughout the life cycle of the tire.
Francesco Pietrangeli, Pirelli Bicycle Division Managing Director: “The team, in addition to the experience of Pirelli engineers in the Velo world, has also been able to count on the technological achievements gained in the off-road motorcycle world: the tread design of the Scorpion MTB has borrowed from our motocross tires, which boast 72 world titles. The technical feedback from the Trentin athletes has allowed us to offer mountain bike enthusiasts ever more performing tires. For 2020 we are already working together on important new developments".
Marco Trentin, Trek Pirelli Team Manager: "An excellent synergy was created between Pirelli and the team right from the start. Pirelli has shown great availability, ability to meet riders’ requests and a great desire to improve the product with our feedback from the race fields. We couldn't be happier, since in 2019 we were the only top team not to suffer punctures during the 8 stages of the Cape Epic! We are sure that part of the successes of last season also derive from the quality of our tires. We are excited that Pirelli will become the team's co-title sponsor and will accompany us on this new journey. "
For 2020, Trek Pirelli is aiming for the top titles in the Cross-Country Marathon races as well as the Cross-Country World Championships and the very popular Cross-Country World Cup. The program is ambitious and will include Tokyo 2020 Olympics as well.
Source - Press.Pirelli.com