Cicli Masini Welcomes New Sponsor Challenge Strada Biancha Tires!

A business friend from way back in the Saeco days when his Oval TT forks and bars, Morgan Nicol is another one of those really connected guys in the pro road team world. He was the one who introduced me (and Cannondale at the time) to the 3M team in Belgium as well. Now with Challenge, Morgan and I were discussing all the latest team movements at Interbike when I noticed the Strada Bianca on display.

"If you're going over to l'Eroica again, why don't you try these," said Morgan. And just like that, I was trying to talk my way out of the show with a pair of tubulars wrapped around my neck. Good thing I had an exhibitor badge on (from a competing tire company, no less). So with that, I'm proud to announce that I'm "officially sponsored" by Challenge tires for l'Eroica! Thanks, Morgan!

I told him about my trip to Italy after the Tour this summer where I found my new wooden rimmed wheels in a potato-chip like state. I jokingly asked if he had any super-curvy tubulars in the warehouse but fortunately, Challenge tires has a bit more production control than that!

The one thing you need when you have wide wooden rims is a set of fat, strong tubulars with wide tape (you don't want the tire casing to be glued down or rub on the edge of the rim). These should work perfectly, if only the guys who threw tacks down in 2012 decide to give it a rest this year.