Tri-spokes are back in a big way, and Scope Cycling knows it. The Dutch wheel brand has officially pulled the cover off its new Artech Tri Spoke project, developed with Netcompany INEOS. The wheel is still officially a prototype, but after national titles and a near-miss in the opening Tour de France team time trial, its safe to say this one is a little further along than the usual concept bike leaning in the corner of a booth situation.(All photos/Scope)Artech Tri Spoke Netcompany INEOSScope says the Artech Tri Spoke came together in just six months. Thats a wildly fast turnaround time. The wheel was built around direct feedback from Netcompany INEOS riders and the teams performance staff. That means CFD and wind tunnel work, but also plenty of input from riders who actually have to hold the thing straight at 60kph in the sticks.The result is a new aero platform for Scope. The Artech Tri Spoke uses Scopes Algorithm-Enhanced Aerodynamics (AEA) along with its patented Aeroscales surface texture. Scope says that the combination improves aerodynamic efficiency, stability, and stiffness, with the Tri Spoke producing the lowest drag of all wheels tested during the joint development program.As always, wed love to see the full tunnel numbers, yaw angles, and benchmark wheels before calling anything the fastest outright. But the race results are already doing a decent job of making Scopes case, but thats with Filippo Ganna riding it. Arguably, that man can make a square wheel fast.Ticking Off Win The first major outing came at the national time trial championships, where Filippo Ganna took the Italian TT title, and Micha Kwiatkowski won the Polish TT title, both riding the new wheel. Not a bad soft launch.Then came the Tour.The 2026 Tour de France opened with a 19.6km team time trial in Barcelona, and Netcompany INEOS rolled out as one of the clear favorites. With Ganna, Tobias Foss, Kwiatkowski, and a fresh aero setup, they had the horsepower and equipment to make a real run at yellow. They nearly pulled it off.Netcompany INEOS finished second on the stage, eight seconds behind Visma-Lease a Bike. Ganna crossed as the teams first rider, putting him second overall after stage one, just behind Jonas Vingegaard. So no yellow jersey, but very much a yep, the new gear works kind of day.Did the Artech Tri Spoke make the difference? Thats always the tricky part. A wheel does not win a team time trial on its own. Pacing, rider order, course profile, and how much everyone has left for the final drag all matter. Barcelonas opener wasnt just a flat aero shootout either, with the Montjuc finish adding enough sting to make weight and timing matter.Still, finishing second at the Tour by eight seconds is about as strong a public test as Scope could ask for. The wheel didnt look like a prototype; it looked like sellable race equipment. Fast race equipment.What about the Artch 8T?Scope is also clear that the Tri Spoke wont make the Artech 8T obsolete. The 8T, at a claimed 690g, remains the lighter option for courses where climbing and acceleration matter more than pure aerodynamic gain. That gives Scope two distinct time-trial choices: the Tri Spoke for maximum aero advantage and the 8T for days when weight still matters.For now, the Artech Tri Spoke remains in the prototype phase. Scope says the next step is to industrialize the design and prepare it for production. Pre-orders are expected by the end of 2026, with commercial availability planned for mid-2027.Price is set at 2,998 / $3,298. scopecycling.comThe post Scopes New Artech Tri Spoke Hits the Tour, Nearly Puts Ganna in Yellow appeared first on Bikerumor.