There aren’t many bikes more synonymous with road racing – and with road racing success – than the Specialized Tarmac. To illustrate the point, out of the last 20 men’s and women’s World Championships Road Races, the Tarmac has been ridden to victory in half of them. That’s on top of wins in all three Grand Tours and a hatful of spring Classics.
In terms of winning pedigree, Specialized is now up there with the Pinarellos and Colnagos of the racing world. However, those are brands with decades more heritage, as even though Specialized celebrates its golden anniversary this year, it didn’t have a foothold in the road market until around 25 years after Mike Sinyard founded the brand.
‘Up until 2000 we were really more of a mountain bike company,’ says Stewart
