Pirelli has announced its association with the Women’s WorldTeam Fenix-Deceuninck as official partner from January 2025 to 2029. The team, which is led by Philip and Christoph Roodhooft, will be competing in the Milano-Sanremo Donne event this weekend after making its debut on Pirelli tyres in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Strade Bianche.

Puck Pieterse, a multi-time champion and influential personality in contemporary cycling, is one of the team's best athletes. Pieterse, the current MTB XCO World Champion and the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift Best Young Rider, is renowned for her ability to switch between cycling disciplines with ease. Pieterse is a valuable asset for Pirelli because of her ability to transition between road, mountain, cyclocross and gravel riding with ease. Pieterse is able to provide Pirelli technicians with insightful feedback that helps the company develop its cycling tyres because of her technical expertise, which she has developed via riding on a variety of terrains, from gravel to rocks and roots, from mud to paved roads, from slippery terrain to compact trails.

Former Dutch professional cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten, who won the Tour, the Giro and the Road World Championships all in the same year (2022), will also join the team as a new Performance Mentor.

From 2018 to 2020, Van Vleuten participated in competitions with Pirelli tyres, significantly influencing the creation of the then-new P ZERO Velo line. Pirelli tyres helped her win some of her biggest races, such as the Women's Time Trial at the 2018 Road World Championships, the 2019 Road World Championships, two Strade Bianche (2019–2020) and two Giro d'Italia Donne (2018–2019). Van Vleuten has frequently trained with male cyclists, and she took part in the men's team's preseason training camps in 2019 and 2020. Her suggestions were crucial in improving the P ZERO Race TLR, Pirelli's first tubeless tyres.

Sharing her experience with Pirelli’s P Zero and Scorpion XC tyres, Pieterse said, “To me a road tyre must have low rolling resistance and adapt well to the terrain. My experience with the Pirelli tyres has been excellent from the start, I always felt confident in corners and fast on descents. The mountain bike tyres I’ve tested were also impressive, offering low rolling resistance and great grip. To me it’s important to move between disciplines. It keeps me mentally fresh and prevents me from focusing on just one thing – Of course, training varies accordingly”.

Felice Cusmai, Pirelli Cycling’s Commercial Director, said, “Our goal is to develop tyres that meet the needs of every kind of cyclist, regardless of their speed, weight, cycling style or sex. In this respect, our partnership with the Fenix-Deceuninck Women’s team is particularly important. This team is made up of world-class, interdisciplinary athletes, whose feedback will be invaluable for the evolution of our cycling tyres. We are also happy to once again work with Annemiek. Her attention to detail and her sensitivity when it comes to technical materials have always been a great asset for Pirelli, ever since the start of our project in the cycling world.”

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) recently hosted a high-level delegation from the Rubber Development Division of the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities Malaysia at the ANRPC Secretariat. Led by Peter Dennis of Malaysia’s Rubber Development Division, the group met with ANRPC Secretary-General Dr Suttipong Angthong and his team.

The discussions centred on essential industry issues, particularly the vital importance of achieving stable rubber prices for the benefit of producers and the broader market. Conversations further delved into analysing recent market trends and their consequences for global production and trade dynamics.

This engagement highlighted the ongoing necessity for cooperative action to address sectoral challenges, advance sustainability and ensure resilient growth in the face of variable economic conditions.

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Bridgestone Americas has unveiled its latest flagship winter tyre, the Blizzak IcePeak, which will launch nationwide in May 2026. This new tyre is distinguished as the first from Bridgestone to achieve both the rigorous 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake and Ice Grip certifications, marking a significant advancement in winter performance. Designed to cater to a broad range of vehicles – including sedans, minivans, CUVs, SUVs and trucks – the IcePeak will replace the Blizzak WS90 and DM-V2 models. It will be available in 107 sizes, ultimately covering approximately 97 percent of the US light-duty vehicle market, with the majority of sizes ready at launch.

The tyre’s development centres on delivering superior winter traction alongside improved durability and efficiency, leveraging the company’s ENLITEN technology. This integration aims to lower rolling resistance for better fuel economy and extend tyre wear life, offering long-term cost savings for drivers. Internal testing indicates the IcePeak surpasses the wear life of its predecessors while maintaining effective traction. Its compatibility extends to conventional, hybrid and electric vehicles, emphasising its modern engineering.

Key to its performance is a suite of specialised technologies. Bridgestone’s patented MultiCell compound is engineered to enhance stopping power on ice, a claim validated by the official Ice Grip certification. This certification requires performance on ice to exceed a standard reference tyre by at least 18 percent in braking tests. For snow traction, the tyre employs optimised tread blocks and full-depth 3D sipes to create additional biting edges, helping vehicles gain grip and reduce spin.

Building upon the Blizzak lineage, which spans nearly four decades of innovation, the IcePeak introduces refined design elements. Its optimised compound is formulated for added durability across multiple winter seasons without sacrificing grip. A newly unified global tread pattern incorporates several critical features: strategically placed sipes are angled to maximise the gripping edge, protrusions on tread blocks prevent water intrusion on ice and micro-grooves help clear the thin water film that forms on icy surfaces. Together, these features aim to provide drivers with reliable control in wet, snowy and icy conditions, advancing the brand’s reputation for winter safety and performance.

Ian McKenney, Senior Product Manager, Bridgestone Americas, said, “Our Blizzak tyre lineup moves from strength to strength, continually raising the standard for impressive winter weather control. With the application of ENLITEN technology, we are able to expand the tyres’ performance envelope in all directions while also delivering greater durability and reduced rolling resistance, while promoting a focus on enhanced sustainability.”

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Citira, a circular tyre management provider, is introducing a nationwide emergency tyre service in Sweden for commercial fleets, a strategic move to become a comprehensive tyre management partner. Named Citira 24/7 Däckjour, it provides a dedicated contact point for heavy vehicle operators needing immediate assistance, day or night.

This service connects customers to an established, quality-assured network of professional tyre workshops across the country. By utilising pre-assembled replacement wheels ready for immediate deployment, the system ensures rapid on-site repairs to maximise vehicle uptime and minimise operational disruptions.

Clients also benefit from predictable, agreed-upon pricing and consolidated billing, which simplifies administration and enhances budget control. This integrated offering is designed to streamline daily operations, reduce downtime and deliver a more seamless support experience for truck and bus companies.

Göran Bengtsson, Head of Sales at Citira Sweden, said, “This is an important milestone for us to be to able offer our Swedish heavy vehicle fleet customers. This has been frequently requested to us, and we are happy to be able meet the demand, providing a new level of reliability and convenience for our customers.”

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Michelin has unveiled the X-Ice Snow+ tyre, a premier winter product designed to meet the heightened demands of modern, unpredictable winter weather. This new offering provides increased performance and durability over its predecessor, specifically engineered to tackle severe seasonal challenges. Its advanced FLEX-ICE 3.0 tread compound optimises braking performance across a spectrum of conditions, including ice, snow and both wet and dry roads, ensuring reliable control during freezing rain or on treacherous black ice.

The tyre's proven tread design delivers superior start-up traction in deep snow compared to three leading competitors and offers strong lateral grip for stability on slick, icy corners. Beyond immediate safety, the X-Ice Snow+ is built for long-term value and efficiency. It achieves an extended tread life, lasting more than 26 percent longer than key rival tyres. Furthermore, through a specialised low-energy-loss compound that minimises rolling resistance, it delivers up to 34 percent better efficiency, which supports fuel savings and extends electric vehicle range without sacrificing winter traction. Passenger comfort is enhanced by proprietary Piano Acoustic Tuning Technology, a system engineered to reduce road noise for a quieter ride.

Available for dealer order starting in May 2026 for the winter selling season, the Michelin X-Ice Snow+ tyre will be produced in 15- to 23-inch sizes to accommodate a broad range of vehicles, including sedans, CUVs, SUVs, pickups and both hybrid and electric models.

Omer Waysman, Vice President – B2C Marketing, Michelin North America, Inc, said, “For more than 130 years, Michelin has continued to push the boundaries of innovation by improving our technologies to meet the needs of mobility across the globe. With the new Michelin X-Ice Snow+ tyre, we have taken everything drivers loved about the previous generation tyre and improved key areas. This new tyre delivers excellent winter performance, longer-lasting durability and greater efficiency, giving drivers a dependable advantage when the weather is at its worst.”

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