The latest version of the Zipp 303 Tubular wheelset was engineered for the rough roads and rugged weather of the spring classics. But, at 1171grams, its lighter than many pure climbing wheelsets. So we werent surprised that Cervlo TestTeams Heinrich Haussler picked 303s for the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix and then rode them to win a Tour de France mountain stage by more than 4 minutes.

Introduced in April 2009, the current 303 tubular is more than 5mm wider and 1mm deeper than its predecessor. Without adding a gram, these changes substantially improved the already superb impact resistance of Zipps Carbon Bridge technology while offering a more comfortable, forgiving radial stiffness. At the same time, the wider, deeper rim increased the 303s lateral stiffness for sprinting, cornering, and accelerations. Another benefit is that wider tires have minimal impact on the wheels superior aerodynamics.

Meanwhile, the 303s tire bed has been redesigned to protect against tire damage and pinch flats at low pressure, and for more precise mounting of tubulars. In poor weather, riders will appreciate the improved brake modulation of the new 303s angled brake track.

Especially for smaller riders like Olympic champion Emma Snowsill, the 303s stability in crosswinds  combined with its lightness and aero advantages  makes it an ideal choice for draft-legal triathlons on the ITU circuit. Its equally at home on the muddiest, most rutted of cyclocross courses with top US riders Katie Compton, Todd Wells, and the Cyclocrossworld.com team of Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, and Jamey Driscoll.