Following on from a recent series of statements from involved parties in the wake of Thomas de Gendt's tyre blowout at the UAE Tour, Zipp has made its position public.
For readers joining this story at this point, as it has rumbled on in the last week or so, it all relates to the fact that there is speculation that De Gendt's tyre and rim combination (Zipp 353 NSW rims, alongside 28mm Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres) was to blame for his crash, and could potentially cast doubt on the safety of hookless rims. While there was speculation that the rim was too narrow, Vittoria has already stated publicly that an impact with a rock was to blame.
The UCI, however, was not satisfied with the explanation and has since stated that it is investigating the matter with urgency.
Zipp has joined the fray and is sticking to the same line of reasoning as Vittoria, namely that a frontal impact was to blame, and importantly one that would exceed the limits of any rim and tyre combination.
"Zipp does extensive testing, both to existing industry ratified standards as well as our own protocols based on over 30 years of designing the fastest wheels on the planet," the brand claimed in a written statement.
"These tests include both traditional impact tests for the rim as well as retention tests for specific tire and rim combinations."
Zipp highlighted the scrutiny it places on hookless design, which goes beyond the ISO and ETRTO specifications.
"Specific to tire retention and hookless rims, our internal protocols subject the tire/rim combination to pressures well beyond any published standard. This helps ensure safety not only at the maximum stated pressures but at a margin above.
"Zipp worked with other wheel and tire manufacturers to establish the standards provided by ISO and ETRTO. Zipp wheels that comply with these standards allow tire manufacturers to certify that their tires are compatible to be used on our wheels. The certifications from tire manufacturers inform our tire compatibility chart. Our systems are proven safe and continue to be."
Beyond the defence of its standards, Zipp supported Vittoria and De Gendt's assessment that impact rather than compatibility was to blame for the equipment failure.
"With respect to the incident involving Thomas de Gendt, Lotto/Dstny team management has confirmed the rider hit an object in the road," the statement said.
"Our team is treating the situation with the utmost urgency. It was their assessment that the nature of the impact would have caused severe damage to the tire and rim regardless of the rim design. Images circulating online indicate damage consistent with a severe frontal impact," it continued.
However, Zipp will continue its investigations and plans to examine the wheel itself to assess the nature of the failure and potential impact damage.
"As of this moment, our design team in Indianapolis is still awaiting the return of the wheel to confirm the failure mode and conduct additional analysis," Zipp said.
