Continental has a new Tour de France Limited Edition tire package, and thankfully, it’s not just yellow logos on a tire we already know.

For 2026, Continental is pairing two of its top road tires into one race-focused bundle: a 29mm Aero 111 for the front and a 30mm Grand Prix 5000 S TR for the rear. Both get transparent sidewalls, both get Tour de France branding, and — here’s the collector bit — the transparent Aero 111 is only available in this limited-edition package.

(All photos/Continental)

Continental Limited Edition Tour de France Tires

But the more interesting part is the setup itself. Continental isn’t selling this as a matched front/rear tire pair. It’s giving riders a dedicated aero front tire and a proven all-round race tire out back. That makes sense. The front wheel is out there taking clean air directly to the face. The rear is buried behind the frame, rider, bottle cages, legs, whatever else happens in a sprint at 60kph. So, different jobs can require different tires.

Aero 111 Gets the Tour Treatment

The Aero 111 is the headline piece here. The tire first caught attention because it looks very un-road-tire-like, with a tread pattern that appears more “wind tunnel experiment” than “normal fast slick.”

That’s the point.

Continental says the Aero 111 is designed to work with modern wheel systems to reduce aerodynamic drag in crosswinds and increase the sailing effect. Basically, it’s meant to make the front wheel faster and more stable when the wind isn’t coming perfectly head-on, which is basically most real riding.

The Tour de France Limited Edition version comes in 29-622, weighs a claimed 265g, and uses Continental’s BlackChili Compound with a Vectran Breaker for puncture protection. It’s also Tubeless Ready and hookless compatible.

This is also the first time the Aero 111 has been offered in a transparent (tan sidewall) colorway. For riders who wanted the weird aero tread but couldn’t commit to the full black tire look, here you go. Your highly technical tire can now also look very pro against deep carbon wheels and a white bike.

That’s called balance.

GP5000 S TR Handles the Rear

Out back, Continental sticks with the tire everyone already knows: the Grand Prix 5000 S TR.

That’s not a lazy choice. It’s probably the right one. Most riders love this tire, myself included. 

The GP5000 S TR is the safe bet in the best way. It’s fast, familiar, race-proven, and widely trusted for exactly the kind of riding the Tour demands: long days, high speed, sketchy roads, hard braking, and the occasional “please don’t flat right now” moment.

The Tour de France Limited Edition rear tire comes in 30-622, weighs a claimed 305g, and also gets the BlackChili/Vectran combo. Like the Aero 111, it’s Tubeless Ready and hookless compatible.

The size pairing is also very modern: 29mm up front, 30mm rear. That gives the front the aero-focused tire shape while keeping a touch more volume and grip at the rear, where comfort and traction still matter.

Why This Pairing Makes Sense

At first glance, mixing tires might look odd. Road riders love matching things. Matching kit to accessories. Matching shoes, socks (white, of course), and bar tape to the whole thing.

But for performance, the combo makes sense.

The front tire has the biggest aero job. It’s the first tire into the wind, and small changes there can matter. That’s where the Aero 111 earns its place. The rear tire has a different job: low rolling resistance, dependable grip, good puncture protection, and predictable feel. That’s GP5000 S TR territory.

It’s a little like running a deeper front-specific aero concept with a more conventional race tire in the back. Not weird. Just specific.

Tour Teams Will Actually Race This Combo

Continental says its sponsored teams will be able to run the limited-edition combo at both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

That list includes Groupama-FDJ United on the men’s side, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and UAE Team ADQ, Movistar Team men’s and women’s programs, Bahrain-Victorious, Decathlon CMA CGM, and Uno-X Mobility men’s and women’s teams.

So this isn’t just a fan-service bundle for the Tour hype machine. It’s a tire package that could show up under some very serious riders in July.

Continental.com

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