Continental and Tour de France Extend Partnership Until 2027

Even before this year’s edition of the Tour de France begins in Copenhagen on July 1, 2022, Continental will extend its long-standing, trusting partnership and sponsorship activities up to and including 2027. As one of the five main partners and the stage winner partner, together with the Tour’s organising body, ASO, the tyre manufacturer will continue to actively shape the world’s largest and most important cycling race in the coming years, and make its contribution toward a safe and sustainable future for the Tour. This will be alongside the new ContiRe.Tex recycling technology being used in tyre production this year.

A strong Tour de France partner since 2017

Christian Prudhomme, Director of the Tour de France, is delighted with the continued co-operation: “Continental is one of the most important innovation partners for the Tour de France, with whom we have grown close in recent years. We are proud to be able to benefit from the know-how of Continental’s experts in tyre technology and sustainability for another five years.”

The co-operation began at the end of 2017 between Continental as a sponsor and safety partner with the Tour de France, at the time already as a tyre supplier for the official support vehicles as well as a manufacturer of the champions’ bicycle tyres. Continental has been one of the five main partners since 2019. “We are looking forward to the successful continuation of our partnership. In particular, the very important topics of road safety and a more sustainable future unite us and form the basis of our great collaboration,” says Ferdinand Hoyos, Head of Continental’s tyre replacement business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Continental supports a more sustainable Tour de France

In addition to premium tyre performance for the cycling pros and their support riders, the sustainable mobility of tomorrow is also a very important part of Continental’s business strategy. By 2030, the company aims to become the world’s most sustainable tyre manufacturer, and is transferring these ambitions to its partnership with the Tour de France. “We welcome the Tour de France’s drive for greater sustainability, and support this wherever possible. That’s why, for example, we are equipping the official support vehicles in this year’s tour with tyres based on our new ContiRe.Tex technology,” explains Hoyos. “Each of these tyre sets incorporates recycled polyester from reprocessed PET material.”

Continental will once again be relied upon as a tyre partner by six of the participating professional cycling teams this tour year: with major regional team Bahrain-Victorious, and international teams, Ineos Grenadiers, Groupama-FDJ, Movistar Team, Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux and Team Arkéa-Samsic, all fighting for their place on the podium using custom handmade GP5000 tyres.

The first tour to start in bicycle-crazy Denmark

The 109th edition of the Tour de France starts on July 1 in Europe’s bicycle capital of Copenhagen, Denmark, and, after around 3,335 kilometres and 21 stages, will end on the magnificent Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, on July 24.