 the periphery of a winding assembly to accommodate at least one electrical conduit of the winding assembly. Each recess may extend around any portion of the circumference of the winding assembly (e.g., the entire circumference). Preferably, each recess is sized to accommodate the height and width of the at least one electrical conduit while minimizing the amount of winding elements removed from the winding assembly, such that the at least one electrical conduit does not extend into the air gap of the electrical machine