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According to supplier Pirelli, the Lidl - Trek team rode the fastest set-up currently offered by the Italian tyre specialist on the 18th stage of the Tour de France 2025. The reason for this is a new TPU tyre: the SmarTube RS, which we recently presented in detail on TOURIn combination with the P Zero Race RS, it offers twelve per cent less rolling resistance. According to the manufacturer, the TPU tube with 80 millimetre valve, which was seen on Jonathan Milan & Co's work equipment, weighs 34 grams.
Edward Theuns does not seem to fully trust the new technology. He was the only professional from the US racing team to have his front tyre fitted without the TPU tube. The rear tyre, on the other hand, was fitted with the new SmarTube RS.
What the Pirelli TPU tyre costs
Incidentally, the new tyre has already made its race debut at the Tour of France: as Pirelli announced, the Pirelli tyre was used in the mountain time trial on stage 13. The cost of the SmarTube RS costs 29.90 euros. It covers tyre widths between 26 and 35 millimetres.
Julian Schultz
Editor
