CX/Gravel Tire Test: Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 42

NOTE: This Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 42 was tested as a CX-Gravel tire at low air pressures. You can also find tests of the 28 mm Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR in the road bike section.

Road bike and gravel bike tires are getting bigger and bigger, yet Vittoria still surprised us with the release of the 38- and 42-mm sizes of their cotton Corsa Pro Control. These new sizes of this popular tubeless-ready cotton tire are great news for those of you who prefer the look and feel of cotton tires and are also a great alternative for tires from small brands like Rene Herse, Ultradynamico, etc.

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On top of the new sizes, all sizes and versions of the Corsa Pro (Control) now feature updated branding that's up to date and in line with Vittoria's entire tire lineup. We also noticed that the Corsa Pro Control's (and Corsa Pro's) compound is updated and specified as "Race Formulation Graphene + Silica," but we're unsure whether there was an actual compound update or merely a new name for the same compound.

The casing design appears unchanged, and it's still Vittoria's second-generation tubeless-ready cotton casing, featuring improved beads that make inflation much easier, as well as a vulcanized tread that reduces rolling resistance. We noticed that the 42 mm Corsa Pro Control feels a bit thin in the sidewalls, which is a result of the cotton casing design: bigger sizes of the same tire have a larger part of single layer sidewall, and it's the weakest link on any cotton tire.

We've tested the new 42 mm Vittoria Corsa Pro Control, compared it to the 34 mm version, and a selection of 35-40 mm road bike/gravel bike tires from the competition.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Vittoria
Model	Corsa Pro Control TLR
Year	2026
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	11A00835
EAN	8022530044240
TPI	320
Compound	Race Formulation +Silica
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	42-622
Specified Weight	480 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	72
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	26-622 (700x26c) 28-622 (700x28c) 30-622 (700x30c) 32-622 (700x32c) 34-622 (700x34c) 38-622 (700x38c) 42-622 (700x42c)

Vittoria Corsa Pro Control TLR 42 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	480 grams
Measured Weight	433 grams
Measured Width Casing	38 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	36 mm
Measured Height	Pro Data
Tire Circumference	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.0 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	3.20 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	38 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (54 psi / 3.7 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (45 psi / 3.1 bar)	Pro Data
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (36 psi / 2.6 bar)	18.2 Watts CRR: 0.00546
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (27 psi / 1.9 bar)	Pro Data
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	52 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	3.20 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	77 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.0 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The 42 mm Vttoria Corsa Pro Control is a faster rolling tire than the 34 mm version version we tested back in 2024. We also see improved wet grip at the edge of the tire, which is where you need it on a tire like the Corsa Pro Control. Surprisingly, we measured our sample at just 433 grams, while the specified weight is 480 grams, which we haven't seen before.

Puncture resistance of both the tread and sidewalls has decreased, and we're unsure why this is the case for the tread, as the tread thickness has increased from 3.0 mm on the 34 mm version to 3.2 mm on the 42 mm version. The sidewalls come out weaker because a large portion of the sidewall is just a single layer thick, and we see this as the most vulnerable part of the tire.

When we compare the 42 mm Corsa Pro Control to the competition, we see many tires that perform better in our tests. When we compare the 42 mm Corsa Pro Control to other cotton tires of a similar size, the Corsa Pro Control easily wins, as there is no competition.

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RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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