Headline: Unbound Gravel 2025: Mattia de Marchi’s Basso palta unveils Secret Campagnolo 13-Speed Groupset and Prototype Pirelli Tires
Intro: mattia de Marchi, the three-time Traka 360 winner, is turning heads at Unbound Gravel 2025 with his Basso Palta, equipped with a never-before-seen Campagnolo 13-speed wireless groupset and prototype Pirelli tires. What secrets does his bike hold?
Key Highlights:
Campagnolo’s Next Big Thing: De Marchi’s bike features a prototype Campagnolo groupset, first spotted at the Giro d’Italia, boasting a unique lever system reminiscent of the classic “mouse ear” design and an additional button for auxiliary controls.
Clutch-Equipped Rear Derailleur: The rear derailleur sports a larger upper pulley cage and a “clutch” mechanism, ensuring reliable 2x drivetrain performance in the demanding Unbound Gravel race.
13-Speed Cassette: The cassette features 13 gears, matching Campagnolo’s Ekar drivetrain and exceeding the 12-speed offerings of existing road groupsets.
Prototype Pirelli Tires: De Marchi is testing what appears to be a new Pirelli Cinturato Gravel tyre with a semi-slick design and a smoother center tread for enhanced speed on varied terrain.
custom ARTBound Paint Scheme: De Marchi’s Basso Palta boasts a custom paint job, the first of Basso’s “ARTBound” series, paying tribute to the spirit of gravel racing.
Gear Breakdown:
| Component | Details |
| :—————– | :———————————————————— |
| Frame | Basso Palta ARTta Bond framing |
| Brake levers | Campagnolo Prototype |
| derailleur | Campagnolo Prototype |
| Cassette | Unkown 13-speed |
| Crankset | Campagnolo Super Record with Campagnolo power meter |
| Wheelset | Fulcrum Sharq |
| Handlebar/Stem | Low one-light handlebar escape |
| Pedals | Shimano XTR SPD |
| Tires | Pirelli Prototype 45 mm |
Quotes:
De Marchi on his 2x gearing: “The 2x gearing should help when considering the sheer speeds of the dirt roads of Unbound, so long as it’s not muddy.”
Conclusion:
Mattia de Marchi’s Basso Palta is a rolling showcase of cutting-edge cycling technology, hinting at exciting new products from Campagnolo and Pirelli. As Unbound Gravel 2025 unfolds, all eyes will be on De Marchi and the performance of his innovative setup.
