Pirelli presents the P ZERO™ Race TLR SL-R, and claims it’s the “fastest and most aerodynamic road tyre ever developed within the P ZERO™ Race road racing range.” According to the brand, it has been designed and engineered with a precise objective: maximum on-road speed, combining aerodynamics, rolling efficiency, handling and grip in a single product.
The P ZERO Race TLR SL-R is designed for situations where speed is the absolute priority: from time trials to road races, through to the simple pleasure of pushing to the limit on weekend rides. The new tyre offers what Pirelli calls, a “unique balance of advanced aerodynamics, comfort and rolling efficiency, structural lightness, outright speed and reliable grip, even in wet conditions.”
Developed and refined thanks to technical feedback from Pirelli’s WorldTour partner teams – including Alpecin-Premier Tech, Fenix-Premier Tech and Lidl-Trek – as well as leading bicycle brands collaborating with the company, the P ZERO Race TLR SL-R has already been raced under the now well-known #prototype Pirelli label.
At the core of the new tyre’s development is PAAS (Pirelli Advanced Aerodynamic System), a patented (*) technology making its debut on this product. PAAS reshapes the tyre to improve its interaction with the rim, smooth airflow and maximise the sailing effect of the wheel–tyre system.
The sailing effect, in fact, also depends on the tyre, which is the first element of the wheel system to come into contact with airflow. When airflow is not perfectly aligned with the wheel, this effect generates aerodynamic forces that help reduce drag as the bike moves forward. By optimising the geometry of the tyre once mounted and inflated, and the positioning of its widest point, PAAS enables delayed flow separation and full exploitation of this effect, improving the overall aerodynamic efficiency of the wheel system.
A further distinctive feature of PAAS technology is its ability to enhance aerodynamic performance without compromising any other tyre characteristics: it allows rolling efficiency, comfort and handling to remain at the highest levels, ensuring a well balanced, no-compromise package.
Pirelli’s aerodynamic studies have also led to the definition of a specific micro-textured surface on the new tyre’s slick tread, designed to further optimise airflow and enhance aerodynamics, grip and road feel even at high speeds.
Thanks to its distinctive shape, the P ZERO Race TLR SL-R helps reduce wheel drag, with average savings of up to 5 watts (**) in crosswind conditions, with peaks of up to 15 watts under specific conditions (**).
EFFORTLESS PERFORMANCE, CONFIDENT HANDLING
Outstanding rolling resistance figures further reinforce the concept of speed, achieved thanks to the new LiteCORE casing, which delivers a further 10% reduction (**) in rolling resistance compared with Pirelli’s best-performing tyre in the range.
Reduced rolling resistance does not come at the expense of handling: LiteCORE is the lightest and most efficient tubeless-ready structure ever developed by Pirelli for road tyres, ensuring it remains highly responsive under acceleration along with precise control in all riding conditions. The result is a tyre capable of combining outright speed with road feel: fast on high-speed sections, yet at the same time stable, precise and confident in handling. The new tyre provides confidence during accelerations and direction changes, all the way through high-speed cornering.
The P ZERO Race TLR SL-R features the SmartEVO² compound, already used on the RS model and a multiple race winner, including two prestigious Classics such as Milan-Sanremo 2025 and Paris-Roubaix 2025 with Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech). This top-tier compound contributes to high levels of grip and control, both in dry and wet conditions, effectively broadening the tyre’s usable range across a variety of road surfaces.
The new tyre complies with the latest ETRTO standards and has been specifically optimised for modern wide internal rim widths, ranging from 22 to 25 mm. Compatible with hookless rims within the indicated maximum pressure limits, the tyre is already available at leading cycling retailers in 28-622 and 30-622 sizes, in both black sidewall with silver label and yellow “Team Edition” versions. After summer, the range will be further expanded with the introduction of a 32 mm version.
Manufactured in Italy at Pirelli’s Milan-Bollate facility using FSC™-certified natural rubber (***), the P ZERO Race TLR SL-R represents the most advanced expression of Pirelli Cycling’s research in the road racing segment.
Limited stock is available with the full range coming soon priced from £94.99 SRP, and can be ordered through Extra UK.
* Patent pending
** Internal Pirelli tests comparing the P ZERO™ Race TLR SL-R with the P ZERO™ Race TLR RS
*** The FSC™-certified natural rubber used accounts for 21% of the tyre’s total weight