The Specialized Podcast

You likely know Demi Vollering for her Tour de France Femmes victory, her run of classics wins and Grand Tours, and the way she has pushed the level of women’s racing with every season. What you may not know is how her journey began, the confidence she built on the way to her first win, and the goals that still drive her forward.

In this episode of the Specialized Bicycles Podcast, guest host Ben Edwards sits down with Demi and Hannah Troop, S-Racing Road Liaison, for an open conversation about the path behind her success and the work that continues to shape her career.

Her story moves from the moment she discovered cycling, to her fast rise through the women’s peloton, to the long‑standing partnership with Specialized and what that relationship means to her. Through it all she has helped elevate the sport while showing that staying healthy and grounded is essential for performing at the highest level.

This episode goes further than her results, covering:

• How Demi discovered cycling and her journey toward her first win
• The key moments in her career and what she still dreams of achieving
• How she prepares for her goals in the upcoming racing season
• Her partnership with Specialized and how this connection helps her continue to improve
• How women’s cycling has evolved and why athlete wellbeing matters more than ever

It is a conversation about ambition, growth, and the mindset behind a champion who keeps finding new ways to rise.

GET MORE FROM SPECIALIZED: 
Instagram: @iamspecialized 
Instagram: @iamspecialized_mtb 
TikTok: @specializedbicycles 
Facebook: specializedbicycles

Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling.

Outride Instagram: @outride

Levo just became a family. With Levo R, Specialized introduces “Electric Rally”—full‑power e‑MTB that feels lighter, sharper, and more connected on trail, all while delivering the SuperNatural ride feel riders love.
In this episode, host Ben Capron talks with Brian Gordon, Mountain Bike Product Manager at Specialized, about how full‑power e‑MTBs evolved from brute strength to intuitive control, what has to be true for a bike to feel SuperNatural, and how “usable power” shows up on steep tech climbs, loose-over-hard corners, and slick root webs.
Together they map the Levo lineup: Levo 4 as Electric Trail (benchmark versatility and balance) and Levo R as Electric Rally (full power with rally‑car precision). From rider archetypes to real setup guidance, Brian breaks down who benefits most from each bike and why. Then they dive into Levo R’s three pillars: SuperNatural Power via the Turbo 3.1 system (up to 850 W peak and 111 Nm, metered with adaptive traction control), Super Agile through a purpose‑built 140/130 chassis, a frame that’s hundreds of grams lighter, rally‑ready spec, and the GENIE shock that delivers coil‑like comfort with bottom‑out control. They also cover practical details that matter every ride, like geometry adjust, storage, and serviceability.
Finally, they demystify Super Range with a modular system—840 Wh, 600 Wh, and a 280 Wh extender—plus efficiency gains you can actually feel over long days. You’ll hear how to choose the right battery for your rides, why charging to 80% can extend longevity, and how Levo R’s efficiency translates to consistent support and less heat fade. The conversation ends where great rides begin: the emotional heart of Electric Rally and what the perfect Levo R day feels like.
GUEST: Brian Gordon Mountain Bike Product Manager, Specialized

GET MORE FROM SPECIALIZED: 
Instagram: @iamspecialized 
Instagram: @iamspecialized_mtb 
TikTok: @specializedbicycles 
Facebook: specializedbicycles

Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling.

Outride Instagram: @outride

The award-winning Turbo Levo 4 just got more powerful, smoother, and more customizable, thanks to an over-the-air update you can install right from the Specialized App.

In this episode, host Ben Capron talks with Marco Sonderegger, Director of Turbo Technology at Specialized, for a deep dive into how Levo 4 continues to evolve, and what it really takes to create a SuperNatural ride feel.

Alongside what’s new in the latest OTA update, up to 22% more peak power, more torque, refined control, and new personalization, Ben and Marco dig into the nuances behind the numbers: how rider feedback shapes real improvements, how to manage range as performance increases, and what features like MicroTune and overrun actually do on the trail.

It’s a technical-yet-human, rider-first conversation about nuance, tradeoffs, and the thousands of decisions behind a ride that feels like “You, Only Faster.”

GUEST: 
Marco Sonderegger Director of Turbo Technology, Specialized

GET MORE FROM SPECIALIZED: 
Instagram: @iamspecialized 
Instagram: @iamspecialized_mtb 
TikTok: @specializedbicycles 
Facebook: specializedbicycles

Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more conversations with the engineers, athletes, and creators shaping the future of cycling.

Outride Instagram: @outride

From her victory at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, to lighting up the Tour de France Femmes with a stage win and multiple days in the yellow jersey, in 2025 Kim Le Court-Pienaar announced herself on the world stage. What you may not know is that her first foray into European road racing in 2015 began with a string of DNFs and DFLs.

In this episode of the Specialized Bicycles Podcast, guest host Ben Edwards sits down with Kim for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about one of the most unlikely and inspiring careers in modern cycling.

From grit to reinvention to breakthrough performance, Kim’s story is a masterclass in persistence, humor, and belief.

Follow the athlete and team

Kim Le Court-Pienaar
Instagram: @kimlecourt

AG Insurance–Soudal
Instagram: @aginsurancesoudal

Specialized Road
Instagram: @iamspecialized_road

Subscribe to Specialized Bicycles on YouTube for more athlete conversations, behind-the-scenes racing insight, and the real stories shaping the future of cycling.

Get More from Specialized

TikTok: @specializedbicycles
Instagram: @iamspecialized
Facebook: specializedbicycles
Outride: @outride

What’s really behind the biggest gravel racing news in years?
In this episode of the Specialized Bicycles Podcast, Keegan Swenson and Sofia Gomez Villafañe sit down to tell the story in their own words.
The media has called Keegan’s move to Specialized Offroad Racing the gravel transfer of the decade. And with a roster that includes top male riders Matt Beers and Mads Würtz Schmidt, Keegan’s transfer has sparked a conversation about the dawn of the “super team” in gravel—and what real team tactics might look like at the pointy end of the biggest gravel races.
Keegan and Sofia cut through the noise and share the real story behind the move, the thinking that led to it, and what it means for the future of gravel racing.
This conversation goes deeper than headlines, covering:
Why gravel is evolving, and what that evolution demands from athletes
How Keegan approaches long-form gravel and MTB racing, strategy, and self-directed performance
Sofia’s tireless, principled, and effective advocacy for equity in gravel racing, including realizing separate women’s starts at some of the sport’s biggest events.
What it actually takes to build sustainable dominance in gravel, season after season
How partnership, independence, and preparation intersect at the highest level
Rather than hype or speculation, this episode offers an authentic and spirited, first-person look at where gravel racing is headed and what it takes to lead it.
Hosted on the Specialized Bicycles YouTube channel.
Follow the athletes and team
Sofía Gomez Villafañe
 Instagram: @sofithevilla
Keegan Swenson
 Instagram: @keegels99
Specialized Off-Road Racing
 Instagram: @specialized_offroadracing
Subscribe to the podcast for more athlete conversations, behind-the-scenes racing insight, and the real stories shaping the future of cycling.