Why has Campagnolo been left out of the World Tour and what does this mean

The mythical Italian brand Campagnolo, once a symbol of excellence in road bike groups and components, will not be present in the World Tour in the 2024 season. A decline in sports that only reflects its ever-decreasing presence in series assemblies, having become a product only for those romantic cyclists who wish to maintain that classic flavor of the brand that started it all on their bike.

Campagnolo's decline is confirmed with its absence from the World Tour in 2024

How far away is that afternoon in 1927 at the passo Croce d’Aune when, under a tremendous storm, with frozen hands, a young Tullio Campagnolo was unable to disassemble one of his wheels after suffering a puncture and devised the quick release to prevent it from happening again. The first product out of the Italian's head and that would be the germ of the company that would create and evolve the best groups available for road bikes for decades, a union of elegance, exquisite operation, and maximum construction quality.

However, the evolution of times and more commercial company policies made first Shimano and, in recent times, also SRAM, have been taking over the big piece of the pie that Campagnolo had until its presence in current bikes became practically testimonial.

Currently, you can practically count on the fingers of one hand the series assemblies that we can find with Campagnolo, a situation generated in origin by its production in Europe and the difficulty of supplying OEM products to factories located in the east, unlike its rivals. A lack of presence that has been reflected in the competition until, in this 2024, no World Tour team will use their groups after changing the AG2R, who until last year mounted Campagnolo Super Record, to Shimano with the arrival of Decathlon to the sponsorship of the French squad.

A decline that does not have a single cause. In reality, it appears that in recent years Campagnolo has given up the battle for OEM assemblies, unable to keep up with Shimano and SRAM, something that has been reflected in the testimonial attention they have been paying to their mid-range groups.

On the other hand, the new wireless Super Record that hit the market last year has barely been tested in competition and, its exquisite invoice and disproportionate price point more to a group for sybarite cyclists than something of reasonable price quality that can be practical for the teams.

The same difficulty in maintaining a supply rate for OEM assemblies has also been one of the complaints for many years from the teams that finally prefer to ensure they always have the necessary material, something that both SRAM and Shimano seem to guarantee them.

In fact, sometimes it even gives the impression that Campagnolo maintains its groups as a mere sign of identity, something that is demonstrated in the lack of evolution of its mid-range that we mentioned before. Apparently, the real market that keeps them alive outside is that of the wheels where yes, their products maintain a great reputation for reliability and excellence, without forgetting that Fulcrum, despite operating as an independent brand belongs to Campagnolo and uses similar technologies in its wheels.

For now, it does not seem that the Italian firm is very concerned about its loss of relevance in the field of competition although it is true that, it should give a twist to its policies to avoid being forgotten in terms of bicycle groups.

Perhaps a solution would be to bet on a top-level mechanical group to occupy that market niche that both SRAM and Shimano have left by betting only on electronics. Many long for those sharp and dry changes of the 11v Super Record and its unparalleled lightness. Being able to count on these qualities in a group for disc brakes would make many people happy.

We must also praise the good work of the brand with its Ekar gravel group, which has become an excellent option in the mid-range with its 13 crowns. A second gravel group that covered the high-end segment would surely be well received by followers of the Italian brand.

In any case, in the end, it is the market that dictates sentence and in the evolution towards electronics and discs SRAM and Shimano have known how to play their cards much better and, above all, have a presence in the series bikes thanks to their aggressive commercial policies. A presence in the bikes that we see on our roads that is, after all, what gives relevance to a brand more than its success in competition. Something that, unfortunately for Campagnolo and for cycling romantics, seems like a lost battle.