Chris Froome spotted using the wave-profile, tubeless-ready Princeton wheels at Tirreno-Adriatico time trial
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A closer look at the Princeton Carbonworks wheel used by Ineos Grenadiers(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Chris Froome paired the brand's Wake 6560 wheel with a sponsor-correct PRO rear disc wheel(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Geraint Thomas used the same front wheel, around which he's wrapped a Continental GrandPrix TT clincher tyre(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Filippo Ganna went a step further, using the brand's Blur 633 rear disc wheel(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Ineos Grenadiers have, once again, opted against using wheels from their equipment sponsor Shimano. This time in the stage 8 time trial at the Tirreno-Adriatico.
Chris Froome, Filippo Ganna and Geraint Thomas were seen using wheels from Princeton Carbonworks, an American company whose front wheel features a unique wave-type leading edge profile instead of the traditional smooth circular shape used by the team's sponsors Shimano and the majority of other brands.
Thomas paired a Princeton Carbonworks Wake 6560 front wheel with what looks to be a sponsor-correct PRO Textreme Tubular Disc rear. However stage winner Ganna went one step further, pairing the same front wheel with what looks to be Princeton's Blur 633 rear disc wheel.
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The team has history of using the wheels, though. Dylan Van Baarle used the Wake 6560 front wheel at Worlds last year(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
As did Ganna, who went on to finish third(Image credit: Josh Croxton)
Ganna also used the wheels at the Vuelta a San Juan in January of this year(Image credit: Getty Images)
This isn't the first time Ganna and his Ineos teammates have used the wheels though.
An interesting difference of the wheels is that they forego tubular technology in favour of clincher tyres.
The low rolling resistance of a clincher tyre paired with a latex tube has widely been touted as the faster option, and the technology has been used by numerous riders over recent years, including Tony Martin's 2016 world time trial championships win in Doha, and more recently, Julian Alaphilippe's win on stage 2 of this year's Tour de France.
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According to Princeton Carbonworks, the wheels are, in fact, tubeless compatible. However, despite using Continental GP5000 tyres in Yorkshire last year, it was the non-tubeless versions of those tyres that the Ineos riders used, suggesting they were run with inner tubes - most likely latex.
The reason for choosing the wheels is unconfirmed, but given their inclusion for the flat final stage time trial at Tirreno Adriatico, it's likely that the benefits are in aerodynamics and rolling resistance rather than weight.
Tour de France TT equipment choices
Equipment choice remains a hot topic ahead of the Tour de France stage 20 time trial on Saturday.
The 36km individual time trial includes the 5.9km ascent to La Planche des Belles Filles, a category one climb that averages 8.5%.
A typical time trial bike is generally much heavier than the UCI's minimum weight limit of 6.8kg, so rumours of road-cum-time-trial Frankenbikes are rife, while suggestions of possible pre-climb bike swaps are also circulating, as happened in Bergen in 2017.
It's likely that the Ineos team believe there are performance benefits to be had from the wave type rim design, and the choice of clincher tyres is becoming more widely accepted.
However, with the mountainous nature of the Tour de France time trial, weight is likely to be the deciding factor. No weight is quoted for the Blur 633 rear wheel, but at 657 grams, the Wake 6560 weighs in at 108g less than the PRO Textreme tubular tri-spoke, and a lighter weight Grit 4540 is available at 430g.
It remains unconfirmed as to whether the team will use the wheels at this year's Tour de France but if the Ineos Grenadiers are planning to complete the stage without a mid-race bike swap, it seems likely that they'll choose the faster, lighter wheels.
Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews.
On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.
