Takeaway: Pro looks, pro performance, pro weight, and Pro name—The updates to Vittoria’s range-topping Corsa road tires deliver increased performance for racers and performance-oriented riders alike. The Corsa Pro has added speed for fast road rides and races, while the Corsa Pro Control provides excellent grip on wet roads and adds durability.
Corsa Pro
Price: $100 each (TLR clincher), $136 each (tubular)
Weight: 271 grams (700x28c, TLR)
Sizes: 700x24/26/28/30/32c (TLR), 23/25/28/30 (tubular)
Corsa Pro Control
Price: $100 each (TLR clincher only)
Weight: 308 grams (700x28c)
Sizes: 700x26/28/30/32/34c
Note that for both pairs of Corsa Pro and Corsa Pro Control test samples we received, the tires of each style were identical in weight (271g for the Corsa Pro and 308g for the Corsa Pro Control). These are lower than Vittoria’s published weights of 295g for the Corsa Pro and 320g for the Corsa Pro Control.
Background
If you ride road bikes—or have been a fan of pro road racing for more than a hot minute—you almost certainly have ridden Vittoria Corsa tires or seen them used by some of the top World Tour teams. Through decades, different generations of Corsa tires have been ridden to victory in everything from cobbled classics and grand tours to your local office park criteriums and fondos. The Corsas are a legendary and ubiquitous part of road cycling.
Over the years, the Corsa series has seen several revisions and updates. For recent versions, Vittoria updated compounds for more grip, added tubeless-compatible offerings, and bumped up available widths to keep pace with trends. And these latest Corsa Pro models take those updates another step forward.
Changes and Updates
Seamless Cotton Casing
Vittoria constructs the Corsa Pro with a 320 TPI seamless cotton casing. Cotton casings are more flexible and feel more supple (versus typical nylon casings) on the road. For the rider, this provides added comfort and more traction as it allows the tire to conform to small changes in the road surface. And cotton casings are lighter weight, which road racers like.
Other changes include a high-density protection belt between the tread and casing and a bead shield for added flat protection.
New Compound
The Corsa Pro models feature an updated graphene and silica rubber compound. Vittoria has used graphene in the previous generation Corsas; the brand claims this revised compound has more grip, decreased rolling resistance, and added longevity.
In addition to the new compound, Vittoria now affixes the rubber tread to the cotton casing with a new electrical vulcanization process. “Through this process, the rubber tread is completely embedded with the casing, creating a 100% seamless product,” says Vittoria’s press materials. This process should help resolve the delamination issues that some riders experienced with the previous generation Corsa models.
Sizing
Near universal adoption of disc brakes by the pro peloton allows bike manufacturers to construct frames and forks with increased tire clearance. Production road racing and aero road bikes are now routinely equipped with 700 x 28c rubber, with many able to fit 32c or wider sizes. And given that added clearance, racers are choosing increasingly wider tires.
Keeping up with trends for wider tires, Vittoria updated sizing for the Corsa Pro and Corsa Pro Control. Corsa Pro is available in 700 x 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32c sizing for tubeless ready clinchers (24 and 26c are not hookless rim compatible). Corsa Pro Control is offered in 700 x 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34c in the tubeless-ready variety (26c sizing is not hookless compatible). There are no 650b models offered.
Vittoria makes the Corsa Pro in 23, 25, 28, and 30mm widths for folks still using tubular tires
Corsa Pro vs. Corsa Pro Control
While the last generation of Corsa shared tread patterns between Corsa and Corsa Control models, the new Corsa Pro Control sees an updated tread design. The updated tread is designed for wet condition handling and rough roads. As Vittoria’s SVP for Product Development, Ken Avery noted, the revised Corsa Pro Control tread leans into the legacy of the old Vittoria Pave tire (a longtime choice of cobbled classics racers) for all-conditions road performance.
The updated design features the now familiar Corsa pattern center section (for fast rolling) paired with a fishbone tread and siping on the sides (for traction and cornering). Additionally, the Corsa Pro Control has a thicker tread for increased puncture resistance and added durability.
Ride Testing
Corsa Pro Control
As a big fan of the previous generation Corsa Control, I was eager to get the new Corsa Pro Control mounted up and out on the road. Pairing the Pro Control with Zipp 454 NSW wheels, the setup was straightforward and went off without any hiccups. From putting the bike in the stand to having new tires mounted on the bike took under 30 minutes. The tires sealed up easily using Vittoria’s tubeless sealant, and I hit the road. I measured a 7 psi drop in pressure overnight after the first ride.
The first thing I noticed on the Corsa Pro Control was the grip—And in one word: “confident”. Coming from a mountain bike and cyclocross background, I learned that having trust in your tires allows you to ride faster and safer over changing terrain. Many road tires do not inspire confidence, especially when cornering or riding in changing road conditions. The Pro Controls have predictable grip, and as I tested, even in some sloppy conditions.
Racing a flat crit in the pouring rain, I experienced the Corsa Pro Control’s full potential. These tires hook up through wet corners almost as well as some road tires do in dry conditions. That’s not to say they are magic or make up for poor handling skills, but they improve rider confidence in tricky conditions. That alone should win the Pro Control some new fans.
Unfortunately, a different race did not quite go as planned, and I picked up some debris that caused a small puncture. The sealant quickly did its job, but not before losing about half of the tire’s pressure. To be fair, this was racing in New York City, where the surfaces are certainly anything but squeaky clean. Flats happen—This is more of a testament to the quick work of Vittoria’s sealant.
One downside to the Corsa Pro Control is the slower rolling speed versus its non-Control sibling. While Vittoria claims a two percent improvement in rolling speed versus the prior TLR version, the new Corsa Pro feels so swift that the Pro Control seems slow. That added grip gives the illusion that the tire is slow, even if it isn’t.
Corsa Pro
If the keyword for the Pro Control is confident, the Corsa Pro’s is “speed”. Though only 37 grams (each) lighter than the Pro Controls, the Pros feel featherier when riding. The improvements Vittoria made to the Corsa Pro’s compound and casing allow them to roll fast and carry that speed. That increased speed is noticeable when ridden back-to-back with the Pro Control and even with the previous generation Corsa.
The previous Corsa gained a reputation as a great tire for race day and clean surface riding. But it had a fast wear rate, was prone to flats, and (for some) the tread would prematurely separate from the casing. I don’t yet have enough miles on the Corsa Pros to judge their durability, but if I experience any atypical issues, I will update this review.
Are These Tires for You?
These are performance road tires for performance-oriented road riders and racers. If you ride on well-maintained roads and are upgrading your road bike—or seeking new tires for a race day wheelset—the Corsa Pros should be on your shortlist. If you want a high-performance road tire for daily riding and training, ride in areas with poorly maintained roads, or live somewhere particularly rainy, give the Corsa Pro Controls consideration for your next upgrade.
..As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.
