Italy's Vincenzo Nibali Wins Tour De France On Specialized S-Works Tarmac

-- Italian Passion Combined with Silicon Valley Technology Results in Momentous Win for Global Bike Brand

-- With Photo

MORGAN HILL, California, July 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Italy's Vincenzo Nibali of Team Astana celebrated his first victory at the 2014 Tour de France yesterday, becoming one of only six cyclists to win all three Grand Tours after his victories in the Giro d'Italia in 2013 and the Vuelta a Espana in 2010. A dominating force throughout the race, Nibali and the Astana team rode the all-new Rider-First Engineeredä Specialized S-Works Tarmac to victory, making this year's Tour a momentous win for the global bike brand. In addition to the new Tarmac, Nibali and other cyclists on the three teams supported by Specialized relied on the S-Works Shiv TT and S-Works Roubaix as well as the S-Works Evade and Prevail helmets and S-Works Road Shoes.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140728/130498

"We congratulate Vincenzo Nibali on his decisive victory in this year's Tour de France and are thrilled that the Specialized S-Works Tarmac was his winning bike," said Mike Sinyard, Specialized founder and CEO.  "We are proud of our unique partnership with Vincenzo and all of our athletes to involve them in the rigorous development of our products that allowed us to meld man and machine in a way that maximized performance. When we combine the passion and skill of the riders with our technology expertise, together we win."

Nibali's preparation for the 2014 Tour De France started three years ago when he began his partnership with Specialized. As part of its relationship with Nibali and its other athletes, Specialized conducted extensive R&D and product testing that included work at the company's state-of-the-art Win Tunnel in Morgan Hill, the first of its kind in the cycling industry. In addition to velodrome testing coupled with comprehensive Body Geometry Fit sessions, Specialized's S-Racing team also provided on-the-ground support for riders prior to and during the Tour.

Through this unique relationship and approach to product testing, Specialized has applied the key learnings to its bikes and equipment to provide real-world benefit for all cyclists.

While the Tarmac has been a staple of the Specialized family of bikes for many years, the company introduced its 2015 Tarmac in May, featuring Rider-First Engineered technology. The new Rider-First Engineered Tarmac represents a breakthrough in bicycle design with seven frame sizes developed using real-world stress data that corresponds to the size and input of the individual rider. The result is uncompromised and complete performance for every rider on every frame size.

In addition to the Tarmac, Nibali and other Specialized athletes rode the Shiv TT during the individual time trial event and the Roubaix during the cobblestone stages at this year's Tour, a bike known for its superior stability and smooth handling.

Visit specialized.com to learn more about Nibali's gear and equipment throughout the 2014 Tour de France, including the S-Works Tarmac. Images of the S-Works Tarmac can be found here http://specialized.mt-2.net/pindownload/login.do?pin=1HOZK (PIN-CODE: 1HOZK).

About Specialized

Specialized was founded in 1974 by riders for riders.  Based in Northern California, we focus on the rider's need for functional and technically advanced products that provide a performance benefit.

Note to Editors:
A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk

A picture accompanying this release is available from the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) at http://www.epa.eu