Simon Yates won stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia atop Alpe di Mera on a Bianchi Specialissima with unmarked wheels.
Yates has been racing some mountain days on these unmarked wheels, and many of the other days on Shimano Dura-Ace tubulars. Yates has raced these same unmarked wheels, which look to be about the same 60mm depth as his Dura-Ace wheels, earlier in the year as well.
I asked Shimano about the wheels and received a “no comment” response. I asked Bike Exchange about the wheels and didn’t get a response. What do you think? Which brand is this? A forthcoming Shimano product, or wheels from another brand?
It’s unclear which brand makes the wheels that Yates has been racing on some mountain days, including here on his stage 19 win.
Yates’ Specialissima as raced on stage 18 with Shimano Dura-Ace wheels.
11-28 and 11-30 cassettes are now common in the WorldTour peloton.
Yates opts for a traditional bar, but with Shimano’s Di2 sprint shifters tucked on the drops.
Although dubbed ‘sprint shifters’, the satellite shift buttons (which control the rear derailleur, one in each direction) obviously work for climbers, too.
Shimano’s power meter requires a magnet. Some teams attach a magnet to the frame. Others, like Bike Exchange, suspend on via the front derailleur mount.
Bianchi claims a painted Specialissima frame weighs 750g in a size 55, so Yates’ frame is likely even lighter.
The Specialissima uses Bianchi’s Countervail technology that incorporates viscoelastic into the carbon to damp vibration.