The 45MCC at the top this summer
This summer, the 45MCC found the perfect playground on the legendary roads of L’Étape du Tour de France and L’Étape du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Mountain passes, elevation gain, kilometres and, above all, a real-world opportunity to put the potential of wheels designed for climbing to the test. Responsive wheels that also made their mark at the recent UCI Road World Championships in Montréal.
Two Étapes du Tour, two different challenges
For a wheel designed for cyclists looking for performance in the mountains, it is hard to imagine a better testing ground than the Étapes du Tour.
On July 19, 15,200 cyclists from 79 countries set off between Bourg-d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez for the 34th edition of L’Étape du Tour de France. The challenge: 170 kilometres, 65 kilometres of climbing and 5,400 metres of elevation gain, including the Croix de Fer, Télégraphe, Galibier and the final climb of Col de Sarenne.
An epic route on which Victoria Stansfield took the women’s victory in 6 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds.
A few weeks later, the challenge moved to Mont Ventoux for the second edition of L’Étape du Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Once again, the challenge lived up to the legend: 111.7 kilometres and 2,950 metres of elevation gain, including the final 15.7 kilometres of Mont Ventoux at an average gradient of 8.8%.
The event was once again a huge success, with 10,500 participants — a 70% increase compared with the previous edition. And once again, Victoria Stansfield took the women’s victory, while Thibaut Clément retained his title in the men’s category.
This season, 3 out of the 4 titles up for grabs were won on 45MCC wheels.
The 45MCC in their element
Long and demanding climbs, changes in pace, relentless gradients and hours in the saddle: these routes provide the ultimate real-world test for a wheelset designed for the mountains. This is precisely the environment in which the 45MCC were able to showcase their qualities throughout the summer. From Alpe d’Huez to Mont Ventoux, via the slopes of the Galibier, CORIMA wheels accompanied cyclists looking for performance, as well as those simply taking on a challenge of their own. Because that is also what makes the Étapes du Tour so special: behind the winners and the fastest times are thousands of passionate cyclists taking on the same legendary roads as the professionals.
And among them, many chose the 45MCC.
“An unforgettable experience climbing the Galibier on the 45MCC.”
Mathieu Barrère, 45MCC rider
Perfect wheels for punchers
The impressive summer of the CORIMA MCC at the highest level continued at the UCI Road World Championships in Montréal, particularly in the Junior category, where they supported both the French men’s and women’s national team riders.
After 134 km on a demanding and particularly hilly course, Simon Defrance claimed the World Championship silver medal, following an intense race alongside his teammate Lancelot Gayant.
Equipped with our CORIMA 45MCC, Simon and his teammates could rely on equipment perfectly suited to this type of course: lightweight, responsive and performance-driven, ready to handle changes of pace and repeated climbs.
Because on the most demanding courses, every acceleration counts.
The best way to judge a wheel? Ride it
Race-day performance gives you an idea. Technical specifications tell part of the story. But to truly understand how a wheel behaves, nothing replaces the experience on the bike.
That is why CORIMA ran a 45MCC Ride Test campaign throughout the summer with its partner retailers.
The goal is simple: give cyclists the opportunity to get on the bike, take on their own mountain passes and form their own opinion. Because a mountain wheelset is about more than a technical specification sheet. You feel it in the first accelerations, on long climbs, through changes of pace and when the gradient starts to bite.
What if you tried the 45MCC for yourself?
Haven’t had the chance to ride the 45MCC yet? The test campaign is continuing at selected partner retailers.
The 45MCC have already spent the summer at the top.
